Dulce
by Diana-Jae
Summary: It's Botan's birthday and she's a little upset at the fact that she has to spend most of it alone. That changes after she meets and literally gets stuck to teen idol singer, Kurama. And does she regret it! ...Or does she? Chap 6: Nostalgia Uploaded.
1. Lonely Birthday

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**Author Notes:** Sadly, yes. This is another of Rhea's attempts at an alternate universe fan fiction. I'm passing on the dark, angst, and dramatic categories. I think, for the most part, I wanted this to come out sappy with a little bit of humor, though I don't think the humor is very well done. *sweatdrop* I've never really tried. I don't know. Actually maybe this fic is just general romance. 

And yes, this is a Kurama/Botan fic. Don't like it? Then too bad! I have just been reintroduced and there's no way I'm going back, baby. Boy, does it feel like a long time since I've written anything KB'ish. At any rate, I hope you enjoy and reviews, flames, suggestions, and random comments are welcome. ^-^!! 

**

"Happy birthday, Botan!"

The blue-haired girl extended her arm to accept the silver-wrapped package from the brunette. 

"Thanks a bunch, Kei."

"It's no prob. I mean, it's my job as a friend to you make you feel special on your birthday."

With a smile on her face, Botan carefully peeled off the tape and unwrapped the gift-wrapper to reveal a small box containing a silver cross pendant.

"Gosh! It's really pretty! I love it. Thanks again, Kei."

"Oh stop. You're flattering me. Speaking of flattery, Yuusuke and Kuwabara told me to apologize for not being able to make it today. Unfortunately, they had to go to work. Looks like they've been skipping that too, among other things. Their boss is this close to firing the both of them." 

She put her thumb and index finger close together to demonstrate her point. 

"They couldn't afford to miss another day."

Botan laughed. "That's typical. You can't expect anything more than that from those two."

"No, I suppose you can't. But they didn't forget your birthday. Besides the apology, they told me to give this to you." 

Rummaging behind the counter, she pulled out one large box that was messily wrapped and a smaller box that was a little tidier.

"The big one's from Kuwabara and the smaller one's from Yuusuke. Yuusuke's would have looked exactly like Kuwabara's but I helped him wrap it." She shrugged. "The sight of him struggling to wrap a small box was pitiful."

Botan laughed at the brunette's comment and smiled. 

"I guess some things just never change. Especially Yuusuke and Kuwabara."

Keiko returned her smile and nodded. "Couldn't agree with you more."

Botan carefully opened the large gift in the same careful fashion as she had done with Keiko's gift, though it didn't really matter by the way that it already looked. Upon seeing the gift, she could only shake her head in amusement and placed it aside.

"How long did it take Kuwabara to pick this one out?"

"A long time. Yuusuke and I practically had to drag him out of the store. He couldn't decide. He said you were a horrible person to shop for."

"I take offense to that," she replied dryly.

Keiko laughed. "He tried, he really did. Do you like it?"

Botan nodded. "Yeah. It's actually Yukiru's one album I don't have yet."

"Good. Now you can open Yuusuke's gift."

Smiling she said, "Well, you seem more excited than I do. Why don't you open it?" 

"Sorry. I just wanna see your reaction."

"I was just joking, Kei."

After finally getting the wrapping undone, she poured the contents onto the table and in front of her eyes were various hair accessories and a little folded up note. Unfolding the tiny piece of paper, she read:

_Hey, Botan. Happy Birthday. Sorry I couldn't be there for your birthday so I trusted Keiko to give my gift to you. It's hair accessories, courtesy of Keiko. I didn't know what to get you and it was driving me nuts. You're a really hard person to shop for you know that? Anyway, I hope you like it. If not, you can go yell at Keiko. ^_^ She picked it out. Just kidding. Besides, the constant ponytail is getting on my nerves. Okay, later then. ~ Yuusuke_

Botan smiled and placed the paper and scattered hairpieces in a small pink shopping bag along with the other gifts.

"So, do you like?"

Botan looked up to see Keiko's smiling face behind the counter.

"Yeah. Thanks a lot. You guys are the best."

"Yeah, we know." Keiko put a proud air about her, resulting in Botan wrinkling her nose. 

"Well, looks like I gotta go. I have a panda suit to report to."

"Good luck. It's pretty hot out today, you know."

"Yeah, but that panda suit is money. And a girl can't live if she doesn't have pocket money with her." 

"You're right. Well, have a good time then. I'll see you tomorrow, kay?" 

"Yeah, and thanks for the noodles, Keiko. Thank your parents for me too."

"Sure. Oh and before I forget, Yukina told me to tell you that she'd greet you and give you your present next week at school. She's got a busy schedule too."

"Doesn't everyone?" Botan rolled her eyes good-naturedly and picked up the shopping bag. "And what are you now? The messenger for everyone?"

"Yeah. I'm pretty ticked off too."

Both girls just laughed before the sound of a bell tinkling indicated that Botan had opened the main door to the ramen shop. Waving goodbye to her friend, Botan stepped outside and began her walk to Ichigou Niwa, the park at the center of the city where she worked.

**

Botan walked around the park in her panda suit, holding a handful of balloons and handing one to every child that tugged on her costume and pointed at one of the balloons with a smile. She liked her job; she liked to see the children smile with happiness as she handed them one of the helium-infused, colored balloons. She would have been in a wonderful mood, as usual, but today just wasn't her day, and of all days it just had to be her birthday. 

Her parents had jobs abroad and even if they could have taken her with them, it would have all been the same for they would never be home anyway. So they had decided that it be best if she just stayed in the environment that she had been born in and stay with the friends she grew up with.  

Then there were her friends. Oh, such a wonderful group of people whom she could not have survived in the world if it were not for them. But today, on her birthday, they, too, could not be there with her. 

Sure, her friends got her gifts, but they weren't really there, excluding Keiko who was with her. But that was expected. Keiko had been her best friend since elementary school, and neither of them had ever failed the other. She was grateful that her friends remembered, but she couldn't help but feel a tinge of bitterness at the thought that she had to spend it almost alone.

And then there was her employer. He knew full well that today was her birthday, but he had implored her to come to work today because he needed everyone of his employees to be there because of the festival being held. He knew that what he was asking was rather selfish, but he looked sorry enough. Plus, Botan could never decline someone's begging. It was just too pitiful of a sight. There were many people that were to be there and he could not fail them. Yes, business always came first, didn't it? Botan smiled wryly at the thought and continued to walk around the park. 

To top it all off, the heat was unbearable. It was already rather warm without the thick, fuzzy costume, but being inside of it together with the heat almost made her feel nauseated. Nevertheless, she strode around the park doing her job handing out balloons and making the children happy.

It wasn't long before she happened upon a little boy crying in the middle of the park, and no one seemed to pay too much attention. Worried, Botan hurriedly hobbled over to the boy and took off the head portion of her panda costume and squatted down to be level with the boy's eyes.

"What's wrong, hon? Are you lost?"

The little boy stopped crying at the sound of the girl's sweet voice and looked up. Not saying a word, he only nodded and sniffed some more.

"Aww. Here, we'll go and find your mom, okay?"

The boy nodded once more and wiped at his face with the back of his hands.

Botan pulled out a handkerchief from a small pocket on the side of the costume and tried to wipe at the young one's face.

"Here. Why don't we get you cleaned up first, okay?"

Taking the handkerchief, she set to work wiping at the boy's tear-stained face when, out of nowhere, a small golden pup came running in their direction and stopped right between the two. Wagging its tail and barking cheerfully, he looked up at Botan.

"Oh, don't tell me you're lost too."

The pup just barked and began prancing about the little boy, eliciting small giggles from him. 

"Shingo!" a male voice called out.

The pup continued to bark and began to get more excited, running here and there when the male voice rang out again. Botan looked about her to find where the person was coming from, and surely, a red-haired youth turned the corner and called out once more.

"Shingo!"

The pup pranced its way to the tall boy, made a small circle around his legs, and dashed back to Botan and the smaller boy, barking excitedly all the while. Botan looked up at the newcomer and was met with a tall lean figure of a boy with crimson locks and deep emerald-green eyes. Finally realizing she was staring, she abruptly looked away, a faint blush creeping onto her peachy skin. 

"Shingo. Here, boy." 

The pup only wagged its tail and pranced about, a goofy look on his face before jumping into the little boy's arms. The child looked down at the golden puff in his arms and broke into laughter.

"Is he your dog, mister?"

The taller boy raised one eyebrow at the boy and nodded. Seeing his swollen eyes, he turned his head to look at the girl.

"Lost?"

"Huh?" Botan looked up. "Oh. Yeah. We were just going to look for his mom."

"Yeah. A lot of kids have gotten lost today. The park's packed." 

Looking at the child and his pup, he shrugged. "I have a whole hour to kill, so I guess I'll help you look for his mom too. I mean," he pointed at the boy and his dog, and Botan instantly got the hint.

They had been walking for some time when the lost boy had declared that he was tired, and so the taller boy took him in his arms and offered him a ride on his shoulders to which the little boy accepted with glee. Out of the boy's arms, the pup took his position in Botan's arms. 

"What's with the costume?"

Botan was caught off guard at the sudden question for not very many words were exchanged between the two teenagers. It had gotten to the point of unbearable awkwardness that Botan decided to walk ahead of the red-haired boy instead of beside him.

"I work here. It's my job to wear this suit," she replied, not turning her head to look back.

"Aren't you hot?"

"Yeah."

"And it doesn't bother you?"

"A little bit, I guess. But since it's my job and it pays me cash, I can't really complain." She looked back and gave him a sheepish smile. "So why are you here today?"

"I have a show."

"Oh, so you're one of the performers, huh?"

Shuuichi turned his face to the side and gave a quick response of yes.

"You don't seem too happy about it."

"Performing. It's the same routine every day."

Their conversation would have continued if it were not for the little boy on the redhead's shoulder crying out to his mother. Apparently, being in a higher position, he was able to get a better look around the park and spotted his mother.

"Mommy!" The boy waved from his spot on the teenager's shoulders. "I'm over here."

A woman with short, golden tresses came running up to the three of them, crying out in grateful hysterics.

"Thank gods! Thank gods!"

The taller boy hoisted the younger boy down onto the ground and he ran to his mother's open arms. After embracing her child, she looked at the two teenagers, who were smiling at the heart-warming little scene.

"I'll assume you found my little boy."

"Yup," came Botan's reply.

"I hope he wasn't any trouble."

"No, he was absolutely well-mannered."

"Oh, I can't thank you enough." She bowed down and averted her gaze to her son. "Aren't you going to thank these nice young people, Shiyoji?"

The boy nodded and faced the two teenagers, bowing with the grace that only a child could pull off. 

"It's no problem, Shiyoji." Botan bent down and patted the boy on the head. "The next time you come to the park with your mom, you come and find me, okay?"

"Yeah!"

"Thank you again." Shiyoji's mother smiled gratefully at the two before taking hold of her son's hand and walking in the opposite direction.

Botan watched the two stroll off for some time, a smile playing on her lips. It was the sudden sound of barking from her arms that brought her back to earth and upon looking down, she saw the golden pup with large eyes looking up at her. 

"Ah, Shingo. I guess you want to return to your owner now, huh?"

She turned around to face the red-haired lad, whom she had never formally gotten the name of, and frowned. 

"Are you always so silent and immobile? You've been in that same position since we got here."

"I do what I want," he scoffed.

The crease in Botan's forehead deepened as she handed back the pup. 

"Okay, we've found the boy's mother, and here's your pup. You can go back and do whatever it was that you were originally doing, and I'll gladly get back to my job." 

She handed the golden fur-ball over to the boy and with her other hand, proceeded to put the head portion of her costume back on when his voice interrupted her from her forth-coming action.

"Hey, do you wanna come to my show?"

"Show?" Botan lifted an eyebrow in question.

"Yeah. I'm one of the performers for today's events, remember?" He looked down at his wristwatch. "I have another ten minutes before I have to get back to the center of the park."

"I dunno," she answered skeptically, "I have work to do."

"Whatever, but you don't know what you're missing." He shot her a smirk.

Brows furrowing deeper, she let out a sigh. "Okay, I'll go. I have break for half an hour anyway."

Setting the pup on the ground for it to follow, the boy began walking with Botan following behind.

"My name's Botan by the way."

"Hmm, Botan. That's a nice name."

Blushing, she curled her fingers round the fur of the head of the panda, and began in a stutter. "Um, so what's your name? I never did get it."

"Shuuichi, but most of my fans call me Kurama."

"Ah, the picture is clearer now. So you're _the_ Kurama, famous teenage idol singer. I've heard a lot about you, but I've never had the honors of seeing your appearance."

"Well, that's the first. To tell you the truth, I was a little surprised that you didn't swoon when you saw me earlier."

"I'm not like other girls, you know," Botan replied sourly.

Shuuichi shrugged. "I could tell." 

And the two continued to stroll along the winding concrete of the park to the center where the performing booths were set up, the audience, consisting mostly of teenage girls, were waiting almost impatiently. 

They continued their small talk, and on most occasions, Shuuichi managed to say something that bothered Botan, but she always let it slip, inwardly reminding herself that he was a star after all. A lot of the fan worship must have gone to his head or something. 

**

"Sugoi yo!! Kurama, you're such a babe!!!"

"Kurama, you're so hot!!"

Botan rolled her eyes as the repetitive remarks from the fan-girls in the audience reached her ears. She had to admit that Shuuichi was handsome and a very talented singer, and it was no wonder that many girls admired him for it, but did they have to go to all ends to profess their love for him when he could hardly tell which comments came from whom? 

Botan swore that she had probably contracted deafness from the last fifteen minutes of standing in the midst of these screaming girls. And to make it worse, she had been pushed and shoved and nearly trampled on. These girls were violent; they'd do anything to get as near to Kurama as they could.

It wasn't long after before she felt dizziness wash over her and the world turned dark.

**

**Final Notes: **Sorry to cut this chapter short, but I figure this is a good place to end it. I'm not going to ramble very much because I'm in the middle of doing my Trig and English homework. I really don't know why I haven't already burnt my math book. Stupid numbers! @.@ 

I know. There's not much Kurama and Botan anything, but hey! It's only the first chapter. Work with me here, people. I promise that by the second chapter, there will be at least something, and that should be out…um tomorrow. Hehe, it's written already, just have to fix up a couple of things.

Yeah, yeah. For those of you that actually read "Broken", I really do have the first chapter written, it's just that I just realized that I didn't like the way it came out so I'm rewriting it. *sigh* I'm not even sure I want to post it up. *sweatdrop* We'll see. Whatever.

Okay, and finally standard disclaimers apply. All YYH characters belong to Togashi Yoshihiro-sama although I would gladly cough up big money to own Hiei! ^-^!! Too bad I don't have that kind of cash. *sweatdrop* And of course, any other characters portrayed in here that is not of YYH origin belong to me, including Shingo, the dog. ****


	2. Handcuffed

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**Author Notes:** Hey, what do you know? I actually came through with an update. *sweatdrop* Anyway, this is going to be a short rant. I just want to apologize for making the chapter so short. It was unintentional. When I cut and paste it from the original, it looked pretty long to me. 

Oh yeah, and sorry if Kurama is a little OOC, or maybe a lot OOC during some parts of the time. I know that what he does in this chapter is a very not Kurama thing to do, but I had to get those damn cuffs on somehow. *sweatdrop* Actually, his youko kitsune form might do something that daring and obnoxious, but then again, he's not a youko here. *sigh* Well, just let the story flow.

Again, all reviews, comments, suggestions, and flames are welcome. Actually, I'd love it if you reviewed. I'd love suggestions too. *sweatdrop* I tend to run into a lot of writer's block. Okay, done ranting and on with the fic. 

**

Botan's eyes fluttered open and she was welcomed with bright light. She had no idea where she was until she remembered her earlier encounter with idol singer, Kurama, and the ear-shattering screams of his fans. She unconsciously brought a hand up to rub her aching temples and squinted around the unfamiliar room. 

It was a rather small, white room with framed paintings hung symmetrically on the walls. Chairs were neatly in order on the other side of the room and plants that gave about a tropical feel stood in the corners. And just by the door, there was a brown business table scattered with papers and folders of all a variety.

Stretching, she propped herself up on the couch in which she found herself lying and laid her eyes upon the door. At the moment that her eyes befell the glossy-painted wood, it swung open and a tall, slim voluptuous woman with long golden tresses strode inside, a clipboard and a few file folders in hand. Botan looked at her oddly while searching for her voice to query where she was.

The woman turned around and faced Botan, a warm smile on her face. 

"Oh, so you're awake. Shuuichi brought you here after you fainted out during his performance. You must be quite an acquaintance of his – he left a swarm of his heart-broken fans in my hands and let me tell you, they weren't very nice. I can't really blame them either. They did expect Shuuichi to sing for a whole 2 hours and instead only got about half an hour."

"Excuse me?"

"You're in his studio, hon."

Botan blinked and finally it all set in. She remembered those girls and the fatigue finally overwhelming her before she blanked out.

"Oh." Botan turned red in embarrassment. "I hope I wasn't any trouble…"

"Oh no. Don't worry about it. Shuuichi's been in worse scenarios."

Botan smiled in relief but still felt a little ill at ease.

"Uh, do you know where I can find him? I think I owe him a thanks."

"Down the hall, the third door to your left."

"Thank you, uh…"

"Harumi. Natsuki Harumi."

"Thank you, Miss Harumi." 

"Don't mention it…"

"Botan."

"Yes. Botan. Don't even think about it." 

Botan groggily pushed herself to her feet and then politely bowed, making her way out the door not long after. Natsuki just smiled and went towards the table at the corner of the room where she sat down and began to file out Shuuichi's schedule.

**

She walked down the hallway slowly, taking her time and racking her brain to think of something to say. She had been so caught up in her thoughts that she had completely forgotten her manners and upon reaching the black door leading to the singer's room, she turned the doorknob and walked in. When she entered, she was still too lost in thought to notice the idol singer lip-locked and in the arms of a girl about her age with short hazel tresses. 

When sense came to knock on her head, she felt her face turn unbearably hot and her face turn an unusual shade of crimson. Squinting her eyes shut, she turned around and sputtered apologies left and right that whatever it was she was trying to convey was making absolutely no sense.

Eyes still shut tight, Botan's hands vainly fumbled for the doorknob, but as she did so, clumsiness took over and she fell flat on the ground. Shuuichi and his _girl_ had already noticed her presence long before she had started mumbling and trying to find her way out, and as consequence, they only laughed at the presentation the blue-haired girl put forth.

"Looks like you have company, Minamino. I'll just catch you tomorrow." 

The girl pecked Shuuichi on the cheek and went out the door, not bothering to say anything or help the girl who was still on the ground. As soon as she was completely out of sight, Shuuichi stood up from his comfortable position on the chair and went over to help the still shut-eyed Botan.

"Okay, you can look now."

Botan slowly opened one eye and took a peek. Seeing that there was nothing that would blind her, she opened the other eye and sighed in relief, but not before giving him a more presentable apology.

Shuuichi's response to that was a light chuckle and Botan only turned red with anger, but she managed to suppress it and spit out her word of thanks quickly and then turned round sharply to leave. 

She was caught off guard by the sudden contact of his hand curling around her wrist. Looking over her shoulder, she glared at the boy.

"What now?"

"Don't you want to stay awhile?"

If it were not for Shuuichi's firm, yet gentle, grip she would surely have hit rock bottom on the ground for the second time in less than five minutes. 

"Um, no not really. I've already embarrassed myself once too many times today, and besides I have better things to do than stay here with a…" 

Before she could finish, she felt moist, warm lips upon her own. Like all things unexpected, she was shocked at first, but after the current event sunk in, she yanked her arm from his grip and slapped him square in the face.

"What do you think you're doing? Are you insane? Don't you have any morals? What would your girlfriend…"

"Girlfriend?" Shuuichi touched his swollen cheek, a goofy smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah, that girl that just walked out right now! Idiot!"

"Kitajima? My girlfriend?" Shuuichi laughed at the notion and waved her off. "No, she's just one of my fans. She's a fun girl to be around, if you know what I mean."

"Is that so!? Is that how you treat every female that you come across? Just some girl to entertain you?" she asked, simultaneously in anger and surprise.

"That bothers you?" he asked with a casual smirk.

Her eyes widened at his calm demeanor. 

"You're no different from a lot of other guys. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be leaving now, Shuuichi." 

And once again, she haughtily turned to leave, but yet again was stopped from doing so. This time, Shuuichi had nothing to do with it. Instead Shingo stood and blocked the doorway, waving its tail in the air, panting and barking excitedly.

"Looks like Shingo doesn't want you to leave."

Botan threw him a dirty look over her shoulder and squatted down to pet the pup. 

"Hey, Shingo. Looks like I have to go. I'm a busy girl, you know. I'm always at the park if you wanna come for a visit. I'll even have a few biscuits handy, okay?"

"Oh come on. I know my dog's cute but that's just pathetic."

Botan growled. "Do you think you can keep your comments to yourself? I think I liked you more earlier today when you had a lot less things to say."

Ignoring the pup, she stepped over him and grabbed the doorknob, turned, and had about an inch of the door open when it slammed back shut. Turning around, she saw Shuuichi only centimeters away from her face, his hand firmly pressed against the door.

"C'mon. You can't tell me that you don't find me even the smallest bit irresistible." He drew nearer and nearer and with every step closer, Botan began to feel more nervous and could feel her heart beating faster.

"Oh God! You're a walking gag-machine!" 

Shuuichi was now only inches away from her face and she found herself mute but not before she stuttered, "No…Shuuichi, this is wrong."

"What is?" He leaned down some more; so close he was that she could feel his warm breath on her face. It was inevitable that his lips were closing in upon hers again. 

"Geh! St…stop…" Botan squeezed her eyes shut and awaited her impending _doom_, but it never came, and she was greeted with a chuckle instead.

"Huh?"

"Don't worry. If you tell me to stop, then I will. I respect a lady's wish." 

Botan arched an eyebrow at the sudden change, and she had every right to be suspicious. 

"Whatever. Okay, I'm going now." 

Botan was finally able to get the door completely open without any interruptions but as soon as she took one step forward, she found that she could go no more, and it was just then that she felt cold metal encircling her wrist. 

"Hey! What do you think you're doing? I have no time to be playing cops and robbers with strange, narcissistic idol singers. So if you don't mind, I would like to be released."

Botan shook her arm and tried to loosen the cuffs and get her arm out but to no avail. Shuuichi, on the other hand, had a playful, teasing grin plastered upon his visage.

"What if I don't want to let you go just yet?"

"That's not your right!" Botan aggressively tried to yank her hand out of the cuffs but only ended up hurting her wrist instead.

He dangled the small silvery keys in front of Botan's face and taunted her. Botan tried to grab the keys with her free hand but each time she went to reach for it, he always pulled them away just short of her reach and laughed.

"You're amusing, you know that?"

"Hey! I don't know if you know it or not, but I'm not one of your pets."

Meanwhile, Shingo watched the key with wanting eyes. It swayed back and forth and he wanted nothing more than to just…

Before Shuuichi knew it, Shingo jumped up and caught the key between his teeth, and in his excitement, swallowed it.

Shuuichi and Botan looked at the golden pup in shock. For Botan, shock soon turned into a murderous glare directed at the red-haired heartthrob.

"Shuuichi!!" Botan was screeching atrocities at the top of her lungs. 

"Whoa! Calm down, Botan. Okay, I'll admit this game has gone too far, but don't worry. I'll let you go now."

Botan stopped her flailing and blinked. "You…you have a spare key?"

"There is more than one way to unlock cuffs, you know. You don't just need the key." 

Shuuichi rolled his eyes and walked to his dresser, dragging Botan with him, and began to rummage with his free hand through the top drawer for scissors or anything that would work to cut the chain off. Grabbing a pair of scissors, he and Botan walked on over to the table in the middle of the room. 

Shuuichi sat on one side and Botan took a seat on the other. Stretching the length of the chain, Shuuichi proceeded to cut the chain. Minutes passed by and a whole stack of scissors and paper cutters lay in a heap on the edge of the table.

Botan tapped her fingers against the table and looked at Shuuichi with annoyed eyes.

"Oh, you really are smart, you know that. And what the hell are these made of?" Botan rolled her eyes and Shuuichi could have sworn that he saw sarcasm dripping from her lips.

"Thanks. Sarcasm is really all I need right now."

"As if you're not being sarcastic yourself. And for your information, I have a right to be sarcastic and moody while you don't! You were the one who got us into this so you _have_ to be the one to get them off."

"I can't. And you witnessed it." He pointed at the heap on the table. "We might have to wait until Shingo spits the damn key out."

"That may never happen! Look, I have to get going. I have things to do tomorrow…people to see."

"What?" Shuuichi feigned hurt. "I'm not good enough?"

Shuuichi expected Botan to at least chew his head off again, but he was only welcomed with her silence.

"You're really hard to figure out, you know that, Shuuichi?" 

She didn't bother to look up at him but stared down at her free hand curled on her lap, her lavender eyes no longer glaring murder at him.

As he looked at the girl, he felt a slight pinch inside and knew that it was his conscience scolding him for getting both of them into this mess. Now he began to wish that he hadn't been so flirtatious.

"I can't go home like this…" she held up her cuffed hand to him, "like this with you. I have to get home." She bit her lip and thought up a lie. "My mom's going to wonder where I am!"

"Just tell her that you're sleeping over a friend's house or something. It is Saturday; it'll be a liable excuse and it'll buy us some time before Shingo spits out the key." 

At first Botan seemed skeptical about his plan. He did get her stuck to him already, what next? But she found that there was no other way around it, so she acquiesced and asked him for a phone, letting her answering machine pick up.

**

"Ow! You're walking too fast for my pace and the cuffs are scraping my skin."

Shuuichi didn't say anything but shushed her by putting his index finger to his lips. 

"Talk later. First we gotta get out of this building without Natsuki stopping us."

"Why?"

"She's my manager."

"So?"

"She's just…ugh…never mind. Plus it'd just be embarrassing for her to see me like this."

"It's your fault."

"Don't remind me."

Grabbing his coat and car keys, he placed his pup in Botan's arms and dragged her down the hallway to the back of the building so that they didn't have to pass by Natsuki's office. They had not gotten more than a yard when…

"Shuuichi?"

At the sound of his name, Shuuichi stiffened and turned to face his manager uneasily.

"Yeah?"

"Leaving so early?"

"Uh, it's already 7:30, Natsuki."

"But you never leave here until well after midnight," she answered, befuddled. 

Shuuichi hardly had time to think up an answer when the older woman spoke up again, her voice sly. She had obviously spotted Botan who was hiding behind Shuuichi to keep the cuffs hidden.

"So you wanna have some free time, eh, Shuuichi?" She snickered and resumed speaking despite the flushing teenagers in front of her. 

"And you have Botan with you?" More snickering and then her gaze shifted to Botan. "Hey, Botan, you be careful around Shuuichi. He's one crafty little devil."

"Right," came the boy's curt reply. "Well, we better get going now, Natsuki. You just go back and do whatever it was you were doing before coming out here and intruding," he offered, waving her off with his free hand.

"Well, excuse me," Natsuki started haughtily, putting her hands on her hips, "since when did it become a crime for a manager to worry about her client?"

"Never. It's just annoying."

"Hmph. Whatever." Her arrogance soon left her and in place a warm smile. "Well, have fun you two. By the way, Shuuichi, I just checked your schedule and I meant to tell you earlier, but I just got caught up with other things and failed to mention that you have a free day tomorrow. Just be in early the day after. You have rehearsals and you have to get ready. You have another concert."

"Thanks, Natsuki."

"Yeah, thank you. Have a nice night," followed Botan's voice.

"You too, hon." 

Shuuichi and Botan waited until Natsuki turned passed the doorframe and into her office before resuming their walk to the garage where Shuuichi's car was parked.

"Wow. You have a busy schedule. It must really be different living the life of an idol singer," Botan said as she stared at his back.

Not bothering to turn around and look at her, he was brief and rather indifferent with his answer.

"Yeah. Whatever." 

**

**Final Notes:** Yes, I have decided to end it here just because I want to be plain old evil and leave you hanging. I think. *sweatdrop* And again, I have the third chapter done, but I don't feel like posting it up until I get the fourth and/or fifth chapter done because I don't want to leave this story to die. That's what usually happens when I don't have an upcoming chapter already written out. Maybe by, oh say, this weekend? Yeah, good time to post up chapter 3. 

Okay done ranting. And disclaimers, let's see. All YYH characters don't belong to me except Hiei because I have already bought him off of Togashi-sama. *sweatdrop* Okay, maybe not. In my dreams, yes, he does belong to me. XD And lastly, Shingo, the dog, and Harumi Natsuki-chan belongs to me. Sorry if she turned out teasingly perverted in the end. ^-^;; She wasn't supposed to turn out that way. She was just supposed to be Kurama's older sister figure/manager. Turns out she's playing the older sister part just a tad bit beyond the boundaries. @.@


	3. Attractions Part 1

**||* d u l c e *||**

**Author Notes: **For starters, I just want to express a deep and _very_ meaningful apology to all readers because I know that in my last note, I said that I would be updating this chapter by the weekend and that was like a month or so ago, but I didn't like the way it was written at all! o(_)o I tried to fix it, but my brain just about stopped working and I ran into writer's block. So yeah, this fic has been sitting in the dust for a little while, but…but it's back. ^-^!! So yeah, hopefully, you accept my apology, minna-chan. 

The next little thing that I would like to broach is the fic itself. It's more of a warning really. (1) This chapter is quite longer than the previous 2. That could either be a curse or an added bonus, depending on the way you, as a reader, perceive it. (2) Despite the shower thing and the descriptions, I still think that this chapter is harmless and has not exceeded the PG-13 boundaries. I hardly think it's lime, although if you have a _very_ active imagination, it could rather err…limey. (3) Depending on the type of person that you are, you might come to believe that the dear author has a perverted sense of humor (admittedly so). Bwahahahaha~!! On occasion anyway. Or you might not even be affected at all and probably telling yourself that the dear author has a really bad sense of humor – so dry. But I don't write humor. I talk humor…not write. I'm only trying. =) 

Lastly, enjoy. ^-^!! Comments and flames, even, would be nice. Suggestions are helpful too. =) It would make updates go by quicker. Hint hint.

**

Shuuichi flicked on the light switch as soon as he got the front door open with Botan very close behind, the golden pup cradled in her arms. 

She was still irritated at the red-haired singer for getting her into such an uncomfortable and, not to mention, embarrassing predicament, but it had died down somewhat since the time that they had left the studio. 

"Hungry?"

"No, I lost my appetite a long time ago," she retorted.

"Please don't tell me that you're still angry with me. I'm sorry. I'll find some way to make it up to you, okay?"

Botan didn't answer but instead paid attention to the pup in her arms. Shuuichi rolled his eyes and shook his head as he walked towards the kitchen.

"You sure you're not hungry?" he asked as he pulled out a pint of ice cream from the freezer.

"As if ice cream could really fill one's stomach," she said, a faint smile on her lips. "But no, I'm not hungry. Thank you." 

Botan took a seat on one of the stools by the counter, Kurama having no choice but to take a seat beside her.

"So, you have any plans for tomorrow?"

Botan wrinkled her nose and looked up at Shuuichi. 

"You make it sound as if everything is just peachy. Have you already forgotten about these?" She brought her wrist up inches away from his face.

Shuuichi gazed at Botan for a while before putting his spoon into the pint.

"Look, Botan, there's no other alternative to our current situation so just drop your defenses. I'll get us out of this – I promise. "

Botan raised an eyebrow in outright skepticism, but held her tongue.

"P – p – please?" With enhanced round, green eyes and the finest puppy dog face any teenage boy could muster, he tugged on Botan's sleeve pleading with a childish voice almost causing the latter to fall off of her chair. 

Botan looked at the youth before her, studying him almost, as the minutes ticked by, and just when he was about to ask her what was wrong, a small giggle escaped her lips.

"What?"

"Sorry, Shuuichi," she said in between small fits of giggles, "but that was a cute little display. I didn't think someone like _you_ would do something like that."

Shuuichi smiled and shrugged.

"Alright. Granted that you keep your promise, I'll hold up my end of the deal and let go of my defensiveness."

"Alright!"

Botan shook her head in amusement and proceeded to continue tickling the pup that was prancing about on the marble counter top.

Minutes flew by and no words were exchanged between the two teenagers until finally, Botan began to fidget.

"Hey, Shuuichi, can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

"Back at the studio…just before we left…well, you didn't sound as if you were on cloud nine having a career as an idol singer so early in life and I was just wondering…" she commented, timidly peering at him from the corner of her eyes. 

"I…" he paused, trying to think of the right words to say, "It's not that I don't like what I do. I love to sing. I love to compose. That's what got me started in the first place." 

He stuffed a scoop of ice cream into his mouth.

"But…lately, I've been getting the feeling that the drive that I had at the beginning is…just gone, y'know?"

"Maybe…maybe you've just been too serious about your career." She slowly brought her eyes to look at his almost frustrated ones. "You're only 18. You should let loose more often." 

Shuuichi raised an eyebrow in question at the blue-haired girl sitting beside him.

"You might…might just find what you've been missing after a break."

Shuuichi was silent for a moment contemplating her words before breaking into a grin.

"You know, maybe you're right."

"I am?"

"I'm sure _you'd_ be more than happy to walk down memory lane with me and perhaps I'd remember what _letting loose _feels like…" and he added with a mischievous grin, "…cuffed or not. I never did say _when _tomorrow I'd promise to have them off."

Botan blinked, realizing that he did have a point.

"Come on, Botan. I mean, it'd beat staying home all day," he coaxed.

Botan blushed and nodded in response.

"Good. It's a date then." He smirked in triumph.

"D…d…date?"

"Hai," he replied grinning ear to ear.

Botan took her eyes off Shuuichi and began to engage in an abnormal staring contest with the counter in front of her.

"Say, Botan, do you mind if I ask you something myself?"

"Mm?"

"Today at the park, before Shingo caught up with you, I noticed you walking around the park without a smile on your face."

"Oh." Botan laughed nervously. "That. Um, you see, I was just having problems today. That's all."

Shuuichi didn't utter a word but looked at his companion with doubt. Not wanting to pursue the answer to his question knowing full well that doing so would probably only rouse complications, he sighed and turned back to his ice cream. 

Silence lingered in the air for but a while before Shuuichi heard Botan's voice sound, barely audible, and almost cheerless. Taking his eyes off of his food, he looked at the girl who was busily making little circles on the counter with her slender finger, her eyes fixated on nothing in particular.

"It…it was my birthday today…and I know that I should be happy," a bitter smile curled itself onto her soft, pink lips and her eyes glazed over as her voice caught in her throat.

"Mm, I'm…16 today. Sweet 16…but it seems that not a family member is here to celebrate it with me. I really should consider myself lucky…to have friends that care and remember…but my parents…I was at least expecting a phone call…a birthday card even…"  

"Botan…"

"…But there was nothing…" A long pause lingered before she twisted her head to make eye contact with Shuuichi. 

"I'm sorry for having lied to you, Shuuichi. My mother isn't expecting me at all. She's living abroad with my father for business…and other affairs." 

Her voice had come to a trembling whisper before her eyes looked up at Shuuichi.

"Um, I'm really sorry, Shuuichi. I don't normally talk about my personal life with people I've just met. I shouldn't have said anything…" 

Before letting Shuuichi have a word out, she plastered a forced smile onto her face and rubbed at her eyes. 

"Well, enough about me. I think I've said too much anyway." 

Smiling, she continued by asking the puzzled boy teasingly, "Um, Shuuichi, _what_ ever did go through your mind to blindly put this thing on my wrist?"

Shuuichi who had figured out the obvious didn't press the subject as much as he would have wanted to and played along. 

"It's in my nature to be flirtatious, even if it's taking a risk," he stated, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"I'm so sure," Botan rolled her eyes and giggled.

"Finally having a good time, _B_?"

Botan smiled genuinely for the first time that day, much to Shuuichi's pleasure, and nodded her response.

"Yes! We still have a whole night to go you know."

"Oh, how fun," she replied with a sarcastic edge.

**

"Uh, Shuuichi, you wouldn't happen to have anything I could wear, would you? I mean this was a last minute decision for a sleep-over."

"I'm sure we can find something," he looked over his shoulder and gave her a teasing, suggestive look, "but if not, you could always just sleep in your underwear. I certainly wouldn't mind."

And he was instantly met with a slap to the face.

"Pervert!"

"Oh come on. Take a joke, B. You were the one who said to let loose and have fun."

"But I didn't mean it like _that_," she huffed, steam almost coming out of her ears. 

Shuuichi only chuckled and turned the doorknob directing to the master bedroom. The pup immediately jumped on the soft, large bed, made a full circle and lay down as it had all the nights before as if it was a ritual. 

"Wow! You come home to this every night? It's as big as my apartment." 

Botan stood at the entrance still gawking at the soft, white-carpeted room. The room had been elaborately furnished with velvet furniture and crimson, silken curtains that gracefully hung around the glass doorway leading into the balconies. Ivory pillars stood about the room in various places adorned with circling vines and blood-red roses. An entertainment system complete with all the works stood in another corner of the room looking new and unused…and _very_ inviting. 

"Shuuichi, would you mind having your architect and interior decorator do my house?"

Shuuichi chuckled and dragged the gaping girl into his bedroom.

"It may look nice, but it's not all that great when you have to spend your life living in it by yourself. Mom prefers living in the home that she raised her family in so I have this all to myself, but trust me, it's not as exciting as people would think it'd be."

Botan began trudging around the room and poking at various things, especially the rose-entwined columns, while Shuuichi followed rather amused at the spectacle that the young lady was making. 

"You like roses, Shuuichi?"

"Yeah. Plants in general, actually, but roses are nice too."

"Nice, but I think peonies are prettier," she mused.

"Hey, B, if you're done with your self-tour of my bedroom, I'd like to take a shower…" 

Realizing what he just said, he began waving his hands in front of him fervently blushing hotly all the while, Botan's expression not too far off from his.

"Don't take it the wrong way, B. It's just…just that I've been perspiring in today's heat and I don't wanna go to bed…feeling dirty…"

Botan didn't say anything but looked at her feet and fidgeted.

"I know we're handcuffed, but you won't see anything that you wouldn't want to. You'd just stand outside of the curtains until I'm done. Please don't take it the way I think you're thinking."

"No," Botan started quietly, "it's alright. I just wasn't expecting really bold words. I was just unprepared," she looked up at his unmistakably crimson face, "and obviously, neither were you."

Shuuichi, in all out hesitance, walked over to his bathroom, Botan following in suite, her eyes wandering around the hallways and stopping occasionally to prod the various flowers that were placed in porcelain vases scattered about on the marble tables lining the hall. Upon reaching the bathroom, Botan's mouth parted into what must have been the perfect "O". 

"Oh my gosh! Your bathroom's big too," she chirped.

"Beautiful observation. I think you'll be a wonderful scientist," came the sarcastic voice. 

"You seriously have to get me in touch with your contractors." She grinned. "I'll be your very best friend. I'd do you a lot of good in the long run."

"Sure. Why not." He figured that humoring her, though she knew the idea was farfetched, would do them good. "Wanna turn around for me, B?"

"Ehh?" she asked cheekily.

"What? Must you watch me strip? I know I'm irresistible and all but…"

"No! No! I'm turning around now."

Botan blushed again and abruptly did a 180, her cuffed arm moving around as Shuuichi tried to rustle out of his clothes. 

Because Botan happened to be a red-blooded teenager, she couldn't stop her mind from summoning images of the red-haired singer topless, resulting in her only turning a deeper shade of red. Despite the fact that at times, she found him to be too teasingly narcissistic, she couldn't deny that she was, even in the least bit, attracted to him. 

What girl in their right state of mind wouldn't feel some invisible magnetism to the handsome idol? Not only was he a talented singer but his face was heaven-blessed. 

Long, beautiful crimson locks and deep, captivating emerald eyes that put the gem used to describe it to shame, he was physically every woman's dream come true. He was tall, toned, and had cheekbones to die for. Knowing smile, cocky attitude, high hormone drive or rather, _very_ high hormone drive…

The sound of rushing water soon took her out of her reverie. She hadn't realized how long her mind had been gone on its random walk but she figured it must have been a pretty long while and instantly felt her cheeks rise in temperature. 

The bathroom was now clouded with steam and the large mirror opposite her was completely fogged over. The scent of shampoo had been lingering about the room and it was only now that the smell began to waft to her sense of smell. 

Her eyes scoured the large area for a while looking about for nothing in particular, perhaps admiring the golden rimmed bathtub and mirrors.

"Shuuichi, you done yet? My face is starting to get really moist."

"Oh, sorry. Almost done, Botan."

"Um, okay then."

Minutes ticked by and the water still continued to run. Botan was beginning to get bored and so lazily began to finger the intricate designs on the shower curtain hoping that Shuuichi would soon come out. Coming to the edge of the curtain, she was immediately yanked towards the shower and would surely have fell in had her reflexes not kicked in.

"Botan? You okay? Sorry…there was soap," came his sheepish chuckle.

Grabbing onto the thin sheet that was the metal bar where decorative towels were hung, she impulsively brought her cuffed hand to her chest and clutched at her heart, her eyes nearly bulging out of her head and her breathing intense.

"Hey, Botan. You okay?"

"I…I'm…I'm fine, Shuuichi. Perfectly okay."

Her breathing finally slowing and returning to its normal pace, she realized just how close she had been to being in the shower stall with him. Her cheeks began to burn with the sudden conception and she tried in vain to jostle away the rather…disturbing images that her horned and tailed conscience conjured up.

"Botan?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I have my hand back?"

Looking down, Botan became conscious of the fact that her cuffed hand was still clutching her chest and in doing so, she had also brought Shuuichi's along for the ride and was now resting on a place where she would rather not have it rest.

In her hurry and prompt desire to get his hand off of her breast, she had managed to trip and fall into the stall where a bug eyed Shuuichi stood looking at the shocked girl staring at his naked body.

The next thing Shuuichi knew was he had lost his hearing. Eyes shut tight, Botan had began shrieking at the top of her lungs, flailing her arms and trying desperately to get out of the stall, but only resulted in falling back down getting soaked even more.

By now, Shuuichi had grabbed a towel and covered himself up and tried to help the hysteric girl up but was only met with a slap square in the face.

"You're such an idiot, Shuuichi!"

"_I'm _an idiot!?"

"Yeah! A really big idiot!"

Shuuichi was met with another indignant slap to the face, though he didn't know exactly why he deserved that. Perhaps it was some sort of female mentality. Shrugging, he shut off the shower and exited the shower stall, as he had no choice; Botan was haughtily making for the door.

"Ehh…Botan?"

"What now?"

She refused to turn around and face him after her little accident.

"I have to change." He pointed at a pile of neatly folded clothing sitting on the gray marble bathroom counter.

 "Right. Sorry."

By now, the blue haired teenager had become almost psychotically neurotic about seeing a naked man that each time Shuuichi moved towards her in an attempt to retrieve something beside her, she tensed and would immediately turn in the other direction. 

Finally turning in about as many directions as humanly possible, she found herself in front of one of the larger mirrors in the bathroom, both her and Shuuichi's reflection as visible as ever now that the steam that had materialized minutes prior had evaporated. 

Her face could have easily put a tomato to shame, so red her face had become, and it wasn't helping much that she was holding her breath all the while.

There he stood behind her, half naked, eyebrow arched in confusion, emerald eyes nothing but a pool of bewilderment. His damp hair produced tiny droplets of water that streamed down the contours of his shoulders and chest, outlining his slender but muscular figure. He was a naked man save the cream colored towel that hung about his waist to hide his _treasure_. 

Botan stood in the very position that only Shuuichi's fan girls could only ever dream of and she had caught laryngitis all of a sudden and a case of being immobile.

Shuuichi looked at her, quite amused. "You're a weird girl, you know that?" 

He grinned suddenly. "But feel free to look. I aim to impress." 

A bar of soap immediately made contact with Shuuichi's head and he only shot her an idiotic smile in response. 

"Not funny, Shuuichi!" 

"Oh, I don't know about that."

He paused for a moment, his lips curling upwards into a teasing smirk.

"You and your staring problem, B. We really have to fix that. How about being blindfolded next time? Sound good?"

"Ugh! Shut up!"

A snicker.

Botan concentrated her eyes on her now damp socks and somewhere in the back of her mind was she ever screaming how much of a babe that Shuuichi was and another part of her was strangling that "fan girl". 

And just when did she become attracted to _the_ Kurama? How much worse that it was Shuuichi?

"Shower's all yours, B."

"Huh?"

Her thoughts broken, she looked at the empty shower stall and the extra towel hanging at the top.

"Oh…err…I see." 

Botan fidgeted for a while, debating the many ways she could start undressing without feeling too uncomfortable with a man in the very same bathroom as her. She would have allowed her consciences to continue their verbal bashing had Shuuichi's voice, more than mischievous, piped in.

"Nice view, Botan."

"What?"

Botan could have sworn that little fox ears had popped onto Shuuichi's head, his face glowing with pleasure and snickering all the while as he pointed at her. Looking down carefully, she was mortified as she saw exactly what he saw.

When she had fallen into the stall, she had managed to get herself soaked through and white had never been too good around water. 

"Kyaaa!! Pervert! Do you realize how much I'm starting to hate you again?" 

And did Botan ever give Shuuichi a good punch to the face. Impulse taking over, her arms immediately went to her torso covering as much as they could.

Regaining his posture, Shuuichi grinned at Botan but didn't say anything and just pointed at the shower stall.

She looked at it skeptically and kept looking back and forth between the boy and the stall finally deciding to take her shower and trusting whatever good morals there was in the redhead. 

Narrowing her eyes, she glared at the youth with every intent of ripping his head off if he did not heed her warning.

"Don't look!" she growled.

"You have my word as a dignified being of the male species," he raised his hand in mock oath, "I won't look."

Botan felt a heavy unease as she began to undo her drenched blouse and shorts, keeping a watchful eye on Shuuichi at every moment. She trusted him but not enough. 

Her clothes finally a rumpled heap on the ground at her feet, she hopped into the shower stall still very much paranoid and keeping a close eye by the curtain. But to her surprise and content, Shuuichi had kept his word and stayed his ground outside the shower making no attempt to bother her during the duration of the time that the water had been running.  

Meanwhile, Shuuichi couldn't stop his own mind from going to the gutter. 

She was a cute thing, he admitted, but then again, he found a lot of women attractive. For God's sake, he was 18, and his hormones were all over the damn place. 

But there was something else about her; something different about her; something that he didn't find in the other girls like Kitajima. During the short time that they had spent together, she had begun to grow on him. He had only met her that day and yet he found himself to be very comfortable around her – as if he had known her all his life – and that had been proven when he had talked to her earlier in the kitchen.

Hours seemed to go by before the sound of rushing water finally ceased bringing Shuuichi out of his current musings.

"Hey, what do you know? I guess it _is_ true what they say about girls and taking forever _and a day _to get out of the shower."

"Speak for yourself, Shuuichi!"

"I'm a rock star, babe. I _have_ an excuse. I have to look _and_ smell good all the time."

"Oh please. Don't flatter yourself."

A chuckle escaped his lips and then the sound of rustling shower curtains instinctively brought his male eyes to the shower stall. He gulped.

Botan emerged from the shower stall with an eyebrow raised as she looked at him, his eyes roaming over her.

Her silky sky-blue hair clung to the sides of her face and her neck, thick wet locks of it cascading down her shoulders down her back and chest. A pretty and petite girl indeed, that she was. The towel wrapped around her barely covered what it was supposed to conceal not even long enough to hide her thighs, her long slender legs very visible. A small, delicate hand was pressed to her chest where the towel came together making sure that the towel would stay wrapped about her body. 

 Completely oblivious to the fact that Shuuichi's eyes were looking at her almost hungrily, she proceeded to ask him if he had any clothing he could lend her.

"They might not fit you."

"So? They're still something I could wear."

"I'm telling you, B, you'd look a lot cuter in your underwear."

"Keep dreaming, Shuuichi!" She stuck her tongue out at him. "It'll never happen."

Shuuichi shrugged and sighed.

"Alright then. Suit yourself."

"How would you feel if you slept in your underwear!?" she retaliated.

"Comfortable. I'd be _free_, if you know what I mean. I sleep in my underwear _every_ night. Haven't you ever heard of boxers, dearest?"

"Ugh! Has anyone ever told you that it's useless arguing with you?"

"You only noticed that now?"

"Oh, you're horrible!"

"I know, but you can't resist me."

"Give me a break!"

Shuuichi snickered and pulled her down the hallway connected to his bedroom and dragged her into yet another room within his room, a variety of clothing gracing them. Rummaging furiously through a bureau for a little while, he finally threw some garments over his shoulder and into Botan's arms. 

She looked down at the fabric in her hands and frowned. A big gray T-shirt and black sweats awaited her. Looking back up, she was pleased that Shuuichi had turned to face the other direction on his own accord leaving Botan to get dressed as best that she could with one hand.  

"You can look now. I'm dressed."

Shuuichi turned around to see Botan clad in his clothes, and not to mention practically lost in it. Her petite frame could barely support the clothing. The T-shirt had reached her knees and one side was going off one of her shoulders. The black sweats were at least three times her size and had done so much as to hide her feet.

"Nice outfit there, B."

"Shut up."

"I told you that your undies would have been more comfortable."

"I said shut up."

"But nope. No one ever listens to Shuuichi. Tsk tsk."

"God, please tell me that I haven't been handcuffed to someone that doesn't speak my language."

Shuuichi chuckled and dragged her out of the walk-in closet choking on his words and mumbling something about a comb and some toothbrushes.

**

**Final Notes:** B-chan has a pretty sad family life, ne? Don't worry. I promise that by the time this fic ends, everything will be peachy cool. =) 

I _know_ full well that Kurama is perverted in this fic, and that's the way I want it. He's more in touch with his youko side, wouldn't you say? Bwahahaha~!! And if you don't like it, then all I can do is apologize, but I think that adds humor to it in a sad, pathetic kind of way. *sweatdrop* I'm _trying_ my very bestest. I pwomise! Hehe. Err…hopefully this hasn't changed the way you look at darling Kurama-sama. *even bigger sweatdrop*

I already have an idea for the next chapter so hopefully, if I can find the right words to incorporate into the following chapter, it should come out shortly. If not… *sweatdrop* …well, let's not even get into that. Plus I'm on summer break and I have a bunch of other things to attend to, but at least I have more time to brainstorm for the next chapter. ^-^!!

Lastly, legal disclaimers apply here. I don't own jack! Although I certainly wouldn't complain if Togashi-sensei decided to let me adopt his work. Highly unlikely, but hey, a fan girl can dream, ne? ^0^!!


	4. Attractions Part 2

**|| * d u l c e * ||**

**Author Notes:** Yay! I finally got Chapter 4 finished. Erm…actually…I got it done a long time ago. It's just that I've been on vacation and I've been swamped with other things to be able to post this up. Plus school just started for me. So yeah, please understand.

Anyhoo, I don't think there's really much to expect in this one. It's kind of a continuation to the previous chapter. =) Okay, my brain is fried and I have no idea really what to insert here. :P~~ So all I can say is enjoy the chapter, ne?

And would you be a sweetie and review this chapter? Suggestions would be nice. Hell, even flames would be great because then I know what it is that I'm doing wrong. Aritey. Have fun. =)

**

"Do you think you could sit down?" Botan requested. "I won't be able to do a good job if I can't see the top of your head."

"Whatever you say, Botan."

Shuuichi seated himself at the edge of the bed, crossing his legs Indian style. Botan went on her knees behind him and with her cuffed hand pressing against his head, she brought the comb in her free hand at the very top of his head and began combing his damp tresses. 

Both teenagers had brushed their teeth without much difficulty except maybe fighting over who got to spit in the sink first resulting in both teenagers doing so at the same time. Botan, who wasn't about to get into another argument, made for a grab at the comb first which was positioned nicely on the bathroom counter beside the other bathroom materials. 

She had an easier time combing her hair as her right hand was free of the cuffs. Shuuichi, on the other hand, had slight difficulty and Botan only stuck her tongue out at him in response. Finally deciding that it was pathetic for a boy his age to be having a hard time just combing his hair, she decided to offer him some help by combing his hair for him.

"Mm, Shuuichi, you have really nice hair," she commented with a smile as the comb glided through his red hair nicely and evenly. 

"Mom used to say that to me when I was younger," he replied with a distant smile, a few memories flooding back to him.

"Hm. Do you miss her?"

"Yeah. I mean, I suppose I try not to think about the fact that I'm on my own and then I don't feel so lonely, but when I do think about it, the wave of reality that hits me is too much. I call her now and then just to have a conversation and ask how she is but most of the time, my schedule just doesn't permit me even that."

"I see," came her small voice. "But still, I consider you very lucky. I don't even get to communicate with my mother. Even if it is just now and then, that, to me, is considerably much better than not being able to talk to her at all."

"Look, B, I'm really…"

"No, don't," she cut him off, "I don't want your pity if that's what you're trying to offer me. That's really the last thing I need. …Someone's pity…" she trailed off with her last sentence, silence lingering between the two teenagers.

Shuuichi could feel that the moods had changed and he was sorry to have brought up the subject of parents. 

"Are you done yet?" Shuuichi whined in an attempt to make the atmosphere lighter. "My hand's starting to spasm." 

And indeed it was. His cuffed hand had been up the entire time while Botan had her hand pressed against his head. 

"Oh, don't be such a baby, Shuuichi. I'm almost done. Don't worry." She giggled.

Botan hurriedly ran the comb through the last strand of hair before letting out a victorious, "Done."

She leaned over his shoulder, her face only mere centimeters from his, and produced the comb. 

Grinning and giggling at the same time, she asked rather mockingly, "Aww, is baby's hand still in pain?"

"Actually, it is still in some pain." He pulled his cuffed hand towards her bringing her arm around him. 

"Wanna give it a kiss to make it feel better?" 

She raised a brow and looked from his hand to him and back to his hand. 

"Uh, right, maybe some other time."

Shuuichi closed his eyes and expelled a defeated sigh. 

"Shuuichi?"

"You're right, Botan."

"Huh? I am?"

Emerald eyes coming back into view, Botan's confused lavender ones saw them flicker with a mischievous gleam as he inched his face closer to hers until the tips of their noses were touching. 

"Now would be the perfect time for a kiss on the _lips_, right?"

To the everyday observer, it would have been quite miraculous that Shuuichi had not yet been rushed to the emergency room considering the number of times that he had been decked in the head. 

Botan was huffing as her body began to twitch. 

"I can't believe that I'm now in the position of being stuck to a complete pervert!"

She peered over the bed and onto the floor where Shuuichi's body lay sprawled, a big and satisfied grin smothered all over his face. At the image the boy presented Botan's features contorted into confusion rather than anger, which was what she was initially trying to impart.

"Why?"

Shuuichi looked up at her with a dumbfounded, but rather cute, expression on his face. 

"Why what?"

"Why do you always try to…"

"Try to?" 

He wasn't really asking; it was more an urging.

"Why do you always try to pursue what you know I won't let you have?"

Shuuichi was taken aback. He knew what she was going to ask before she had asked it but he had not anticipated the last part of her query. Sitting up and folding one knee towards him, he propped his cuffed arm on it and looked at Botan's fingers dangling lazily next to his own and looking as though he was trying to find the right words to say.

Botan fixed her gaze upon him and waited patiently for his answer. She, herself, had been quite surprised with her own question. She hadn't at all expected the words to have formed itself the way that they had. And what possibly disturbed her more than the question itself was the level of truth that it possessed. 

Botan felt a slight movement and she immediately broke the recent chain of thoughts and looked at Shuuichi expectantly.

He had a goofy smile on his face as he scratched the top of his head with his free hand, the fingers of his cuffed hands lightly brushing Botan's every now and then.

"I guess I do what I do simply because…I like you." 

At first she felt slightly shocked at such a calm answer but she cocked her head to one side and continued to look at him prodding him more on the subject.

"But you've only met me today."

"You're not like other girls I know that practically throw themselves at my feet in worship and that's probably why I felt some kind of attraction. And even if you do turn me away," he looked into her eyes making sure that his gaze penetrated her, his visage now serious, "I'll still try and pursue you because of the simple fact that I like you."

Botan listened with suspicion. She felt a deep skepticism for the words that he said, but deep inside, she was wishing that he meant it. 

Smiling wryly as she watched Shuuichi loosely coupling his fingers with hers, she went on to add in a voice almost inaudible, "You're a sweet talker. No wonder why so many females flock to you."

Shuuichi was puzzled at her statement but didn't delve into it too greatly to realize it's simple meaning. Shrugging, he yanked his cuffed hand bringing Botan down to topple over him.

Botan blushed at their closeness and tried to wriggle free, but Shuuichi held onto her, his arm wrapped firmly but gently around her waist. He chuckled a bit, closing his eyes as Botan bit her lip, her head buried in the crook of his neck, completely and utterly scarlet.

"You really should be more careful, B. If I hadn't been down here to catch your fall, who knows what could have happened, right?"

"You're a strange one, Shuuichi," she said, her voice muffled.

She tried one more time to get off of him but his hold only tightened.

"You know, B, this position is kinda comfortable. I could get used to this."

Although she couldn't deny the fact that she, too, liked the way she was being held, she couldn't help but feel rather uncomfortable. And as if the gods had heard her silent wish, Shingo, who hadn't made so much as a whimper since they had entered the bedroom, began to bark.

"Huh?"

Shuuichi opened his eyes and looked at the pup upside down from his lying position on the carpeted floor. 

"What is it, Shingo?"

The pup continued to bark and pranced about, a square case in the clutches of its teeth.

Shuuichi let go of Botan, much to her relief, and he took the case out of his pup's mouth. He grinned and showed the case to Botan. 

"You up for it?"

Botan blinked.

**

"Shoot it! Get it in the head or something!" Botan shrieked as she pointed a finger maniacally at the big screen television.

Shuuichi chuckled and did as the girl beside him ordered.

After the first few minutes into the game, Botan's heart nearly stopped functioning, and Shuuichi almost thought he had to call the ambulance. She wasn't anticipating such intense graphics and zombies popping out at you at every other corner.

After the zombies brains had practically splattered and oozed on the screen, Shuuichi moved the character forward into another dark and ill-lit hallway. Botan looked at the large screen television with wide, expectant eyes half filled with terror and half filled with a thrill.

The moment another gruesome looking undead popped onto the screen, Botan clutched onto Shuuichi's arm and hid her eyes screeching at Shuuichi telling him to blow its guts out. Shingo, who was just as excited as Botan, was leaping on her lap and barking, most possibly urging Shuuichi to kill the zombies off as well.

"Chill out, Botan. It's just a game." 

He smiled and looked down into her now dilated lavender eyes that had peeked up from wherever they had been hiding.

"Just a game? Have you ever seen _Night of the Living Dead_ in color?"

She heard another gunshot go off in the speakers and she automatically hid her eyes again.

"Maybe that's what we should do, eh, B?" he started, his voice lined with a teasing. "Have a horror movie marathon?"

"What would make you believe that I'd wanna do something like that?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe you wanna cuddle."

"Perhaps it's _you_ that wants to do the cuddling."

"Perhaps. I mean, it's the perfect excuse, right?"

Botan groaned but as soon as the speakers expelled a death-shattering scream of pain and terror, Botan literally flung herself onto Shuuichi, hugging onto him the best she could without twisting her cuffed wrist.

"Aww, is Botan scared of Resident Evil?" he taunted. "It's okay, babe. I'm here for you."

Botan glared at him.

"Are you mocking me?"

"No, of course not." His lips slightly turned upwards and his eyes began to glow. "Why _ever_ would I do that?"

"Because you're Shuuichi! Isn't that reason enough?"

Shuuichi shook his head, a faint smile playing on his lips, as he cradled the girl who had miraculously gone from sitting beside him to sitting on his lap in a tenth of a second flat and reached over to turn off his Playstation. 

"Had enough Resident Evil?"

"I think I've had enough of it like 2 hours ago, Shuuichi."

Shuuichi stood up with a surprised Botan still in his arms and carried her over to his bed and dropped her.

Botan bounced on the bed and looked up at the redhead who had a very broad and satiated smile on his face. 

"Get comfy. This is gonna be a _long_ night." 

He raised his eyebrows suggestively as Botan looked on quite puzzled. It didn't take her long before his statement's dirty implication hit her like a rock. 

"Oh! Go and crawl back into the gutter where you belong, Shuuichi!" She cried indignantly, turning her nose up in the air haughtily.

Shingo pranced towards the bed, his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth goofily before hopping on the bed and into Botan's lap where he made himself comfy and lay down.

Botan smiled and began to pet the golden furred pup.

"See, now why can't you treat me as nicely as you treat my dog?"

"Because your dog's not perverted." She looked up at him with a toothy grin. "And because your dog's actually _cute_."

Shuuichi put his free hand to his chest and feigned hurt.

"Ouch! That hurt my feelings, Botan."

Botan giggled.

"I'm so sure that it did."

Shuuichi took a seat on the bed beside her and looked at her smiling face, perhaps trying to imprint the look of happiness into his memory. Once she stopped giggling long enough to look at him, she cocked her head to one side.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Botan's very cute."

Botan blushed and looked down. 

"Flattery won't get you anywhere, mister."

Shuuichi snapped his fingers.

"Damn! And I thought I had you there."

Both teenagers looked at each other before breaking into tiny laughter. 

"I'm glad that I met you, B. Really. No joke this time."

"Yeah. I'm so sure." 

She averted her gaze to the pup in her lap whose eyes had now drooped to a close.

"No. I'm serious." He lifted her chin slowly, bringing her eyes to meet his. "I haven't had this much fun with a girl before. Or with anyone for that matter."

"Oh yeah? What about Kitajima?" she shot.

She hadn't meant for it to trigger something in him, but unfortunately it did and for the first time during the entire time that they had been together, he frowned.

"Kitajima?"

"…Uh-huh."

He looked down at his lap, his eyes hidden behind wisps of red hair. 

"She's just around, Botan. The feeling I  have with her compared to the feeling I have when I'm around you is completely different." He paused to look at her, his green eyes now glazed over.

"Maybe it was the feeling of loneliness that brought my attention to girls like her but that's it. I guess I was looking for someone to be with me because of fear of being alone. I was seeking solace within them, but they didn't have whatever it is that you have that could drive that fear away. They never meant anything except as devoted fans. 

"But with you, not even lyrics, not words, can describe the way I feel. Being with you drives away the loneliness. I think ever since I've been working in the music industry, loneliness has been following me around, especially with mom not by my side. And somehow, being with you makes me forget all that.  I don't know what it is but I do know that I like you, Botan."

Botan's lips quivered a little at what he said before she abruptly turned her head away. She could feel her heart beating faster and when he had spoke, an alien but somehow familiar feeling had washed over her and she didn't like it.

_I'm scared too… but I don't know what it is that I'm afraid of…_

"Botan?"

"You know, Shuuichi, that was a really sweet thing to say." 

She looked at him and smiled the best she could. Shuuichi thought he caught a glimpse of a sad twinkle in her eye as she spoke but shrugged it off as another one of his mind's delusions.

"I meant it, you know."

She looked at him for a moment, not saying anything, studying his eyes, looking for any signs of teasing or deceit, but she found none. Nodding, she picked up the sleeping pup and gently placed it on the side of the bed where he could sleep more comfortably. 

No sooner had she done so, and she felt strong, slender arms wrap themselves about her and hoist her onto her captor's lap. Glancing over her shoulder, she was met with beautiful green eyes, the owner's face only mere centimeters from her own.

"You do believe me, don't you?" Shuuichi's voice had developed a more serious tone.

"…Believe?"

"The way I feel about you."

Emerald burned into lavender as Shuuichi's free hand began to stroke the blushing girl's cheek.

"Believe me."

It wasn't merely a stated request but an order lined with slight passion and feeling.

Minutes had ticked by before Botan's lips curved slightly into a subtle smile as she shyly turned her face away, away from his strong gaze and began to speak in a voice so soft that it was almost a whisper. But almost a whisper though it was, Shuuichi was still able to identify the tinge of singsong resonance within it indicating a delicate implication of flirtatious teasing.

 "Oh, I don't know if I should, Shuuichi. I mean…"

"You know, whenever my mom thought I was hiding something from her, she'd always have a way to get me to come out with it."

"Oh?" came her innocent response. "And you think that the same can be done to me?"

Shuuichi's serious eyes brightened with the same kind of laughter from earlier as his lips broadened into a large smile, his sharp canines very visible only enhancing the image of a predatory attack.

"Yeah, this technique never fails!"

"Oh really?" she mocked. 

"Most definitely. Mom always used to…"

Shuuichi stopped short of his sentence as his own content laughter intermingled with Botan's hysteric giggling. 

His deft hands had caught the blue haired girl off guard as he pinned her down and began tickling her, showing no mercy. Tears of laughter had begun to materialize in her eyes as she simultaneously struggled to squirm out of his hold and pry his hands from her stomach and side.  

"Shuuichi… st… stop…" Botan pleaded in between fits of uncontrollable laughter, "…okay… stop… please!!" 

"Stop?" He asked amused still not yielding to her request to stop.

"Yes! Please!"

"Then do you believe me?" 

"Uh…n…no."

"No? You sure?"

His voice was sly as he reached with one hand to attack her collarbone.

"No! I believe you…"

"What was that? Couldn't hear you there, Botan."

"Shuuichi!!"

"What? I still haven't heard what I wanna hear."

"I believe you! I believe you! Now quit, please!"

Shuuichi chuckled and halted his vigorous tickling. The panting girl beneath him was trying desperately to stop laughing and catch her breath lest she should suffocate.

Her giggling finally dying down some, she opened her eyes to look at Shuuichi who still hadn't moved from his position on all fours, his legs trapping her own, one hand on her collarbone and shoulder while his other clutched at her side.

He grinned in victory when she finally shot him her first sweet smile as she wiped the tears away from her face.

"You like that, B?" 

His eyes popped open when he felt slender fingers brush against his cheek.

"Hmm?"

"…Shuuichi… you're an idiot …"

"…I'm an idiot?"

Botan shut her eyes momentarily and nodded, the small smile still playing on her tender lips.

"Yuh-huh. A really big idiot."

"Why do you say that?"

"…Because Botan says so…"

"…Alright…Shuuichi is an idiot then, right? But Shuuichi's not an idiot to see that Botan is…beautiful."

Botan's eyes fluttered open with a start as she felt warm, moist lips press against her own. 

Her heart pounded rapidly within her chest and her breathing had expedited, but upon the feeling of his fleeting fingers inching their way up her neck and to her jaw line where he held it at rest for support, and perhaps as an insinuation for her to allow him entrance, she began to relax and slowly parted her lips, to her astonishment and delight.

As if her mind had lost control of her body, her free hand slowly crept to the young singer's crimson hair where it entangled itself with his now dry tresses, her restricted hand linking with Shuuichi's fingers.

Perhaps it was their own little seven minutes in heaven, the kiss gradually becoming stronger and perhaps overflowing with a passion foreign to Botan before her main functional unit suddenly retained its control over its subordinates and ordered them to pull away from Shuuichi, though her body screamed for more. 

Slightly pushing him back, he looked into her now tear-stained face with genuine worry.

"What? Are you okay, Botan?"

"…Mm…no. …Shuuichi, this…this isn't right. I'm sorry." 

She immediately turned her face away, biting her lip all the while as she waited for Shuuichi to release her. 

No sooner wished for and it was done.

"No, it should be me that should be sorry, B. I…"

"Just forget it, Shuuichi. Please."

Shuuichi stayed silent, watching the girl beside him, who had curled herself into a tiny ball her back to him. 

"It never happened, okay? It didn't happen."

Figuring that the subject should not be broached any further, Shuuichi heaved a sigh and surrendered. 

"…Okay. It never happened then. Sorry." Shuuichi reached over to switch off his bedside lamp before getting back on the bed facing his back to Botan. "Night, Botan."

Minutes ticked by and he did not receive an answer from the blue haired girl beside him. 

_…I shouldn't have kissed her…_

_Yeah. You shouldn't have. But…_

_Am I really that desperate? …Am I really that lonely? …To go so far as to say that I'm sprung over a girl I've just met?_

_Perhaps…but will your heart really allow you to say that she's "only a girl you've just met"_

_…No…_

_I didn't think so._

Botan began fidgeting but the tears in her eyes continued to flow.

_Why?_

_Why what?_

_Why am I crying?_

_Because you're afraid._

_Afraid of what?_

_…Attachment._

And somewhere in the depths of her subconscious, a little girl sat huddled in a dark corner with the same sad lavender eyes and tear-streaked face waiting for the parents that had left her a long time ago.

Sleep finally getting the better of her, her lips were able to mumble one last thing before slumber became her escape.

"…Night…Shuuichi…"

**

**Final Notes:** Wowie. What do you know? Sorry the ending came out kind of dramatic. It's just well…that's just how the plot goes people. Bear with it for now. I promise that this all has a reason. =) A good reason. 

As for Kurama. ^-^;; Sorry about his being forward and touchy and flirty and…well the list goes on. I'm going for a Kurama with a different personality. More of his kitsune side. Haha! It's funny like that. 

And about Chapter 5. Hmm, as you all can probably tell, I end up saying one thing and it never happens. I say I'll have a chapter come this weekend but it never happens. So I won't say anything anymore. I don't have the ability to predict my schedule as well as I would like to so that I can plan when to write and post better. Otherwise, I'd actually come through. So all I can promise is that Chapter 5 _will_ eventually come out. And I'll try, though I can't guarantee, not to make it such a long wait. Aritey. =) 

Thanks for the support all of you! It makes me want to write more. Really, it does. You guys are the bestestest. Haha. Some of your constant nagging is really a big help. Seriously. ^-^

Lastly, standard disclaimers apply. Yuu Yuu Hakusho and its characters do not belong to me…although I did happen into Togashi Yoshihiro and bought Hiei off of him so now he's my property. Yup. He has my name stamped on his bootay. Joke. All the usual disclaimer "yadda yadda" goes here. You know the drill. :D


	5. Botan

**Author Notes**: First of all, I'd like to express my biggest apologies to all the readers of this fic. I know I haven't updated in 10 months – or at least that's what I've been told. But here's the fifth installment to Dulce, so please put your pitchforks down. ^^;; I tried to make this a lot longer than the previous four chapters on account that I feel really guilty for not updating this in a while. Hopefully, this will satiate you all enough. ^^;;

Oh, by the way, the last four chapters have had very minor revisions. I scratched out all of the Japanese in it including titles such as _–chan_ and _-kun_. I understand that there are people that aren't familiar with the few Japanese phrases I used so I decided that it'd be better to just stick with constant English. Just pretend they're speaking Japanese. ^^;; Besides, I'm too lazy to translate the phrases. *sweatdrop* Plus, I'd have to keep translating for the upcoming chapters, and I don't feel like it. Admittedly, your author is a lazy shit. :P Nothing to be proud of there. 

Anyhoo, this rant is getting long. Phew! Well, enjoy! Comments, reviews, random criticisms, and flames are welcome.

**

"Mm… lemme… more sleep… kept me… too late… night…please…"

Botan waved her hand in the direction of the distant resonance of a pup barking excitedly, clutching her blanket tighter and digging her face deeper into her comforters. Strangely, her blanket seemed quite thin and restricted and her comforters sure felt about as hard as a rock, not to mention that it had a certain type of masculine scent to it. 

Lilac eyes shot open when the notion hit her.

_Since when did my comforters get sprayed with men's cologne? … And when did I get a dog?_

Her eyes having adjusted to the morning light and her vision now clear, her dreaded questions were answered and she suddenly felt her cheeks growing warmer at the awkward position that she found herself in.

There she was, one petite hand clutching onto Shuuichi's shirt and her face buried in his chest, while he had one firm but gentle arm held her protectively by the waist, his other hand entangled in her baby-blue tresses and her delicate fingers.

Botan could feel her heartbeat suddenly pounding madly and her body temperature rising rapidly. Shingo's excited barking continued and the noise only caused the boy to tighten his hold on her waist, bringing her even closer towards his body. This small action immediately resulted in the girl fidgeting and trying desperately to wriggle free from the boy's hold. Then, as if it were a chain reaction, Shuuichi began to stir before emerald eyes groggily opened.

Botan froze as Shuuichi took a moment to take in a deep breath of fresh air before looking down at the girl who had suddenly decided to play the statue dance. His lips instantly curled into a fond smile.

"Mornin' sweet-stuff."

Botan didn't answer and, without thinking, buried her head deeper into his chest from embarrassment. She immediately regretted that move, and it came in the form of her conscience verbally beating the sense out of her.

"Oh," he began teasingly. "So you wanna be like that, huh?" He sniggered. "I always knew you had your kinky sides."

Botan groaned and quickly pulled away. "Oh, don't even start. It's too early in the morning, Shuuichi."

"You're right." He looked at her for a while before resuming speech. "So…sleep well?"

Before she was given any real time to delve through that question, Shuuichi's eyes had already flickered with delight and a grin tugged at his morning cherry lips. Licking them, he cried out like a child.

"I know I did! Last night was _great_, B. The earth moved."

For a brief moment, the girl's expression was sheer befuddlement, but after realizing the hidden meaning behind his statement, her face contorted into disgust and she wasted no time in grabbing a pillow and using it to suffocate the poor singer.

"What are you trying to do? Kill me?" Shuuichi's voice came out muffled as it mixed with his jovial laughter and the pillow on his face.

"No one would miss you, Shuuichi!!" 

Picking up the pillow, she proceeded to smack him with it before dropping it and turning her head the other way ending it with an indignant _hmph_.

"Aww," Shuuichi started guiltily, though the mile-wide smile was still visible on his features, "Botan, babe, don't be like that. It's well, how you say," he paused and looked as if he were thinking and started again, "_too early in the morning_."

Botan's head whipped towards him and her usual wide eyes were thin slits.

"Are you mocking me?"

Shuuichi merely batted his eyes and tried to look as innocent as possible and shook his head. He immediately found himself flying off the bed. And Shingo, upon seeing the spectacle, ran to the edge of the bed and jumped onto the boy's chest eliciting a grunt.

Botan peeked at him from the top of the bed, one side of the shirt falling off of one shoulder.

"I feel sorry for your future boyfriend already, Botan." He gazed at her from his lying position on the floor. "You won't be a very pleasant partner in bed."

"I can hardly believe that. In fact, I think you're lying," she cried rather confidently.

"What makes you think so?"

"You just said that the _earth moved," she replied absently._

He was speechless for a moment as he blinked up at the girl who was on her stomach on the bed looking into his eyes, smiling.

Shuuichi grinned.

**

Upon entrance, the once dark room was illuminated with light on its own accord. The large room was rich in decoration; hundreds of exotic plants strewn about and framed pictures embellished the plain, white walls.  There were a couple of crème-colored sofas with a matching loveseat and small table. There was even a day bed by the large window that served as one whole wall overlooking the vast green beyond the cliff that the house stood. 

Against various walls, many different electronic apparatuses stood of which Botan knew nothing about, and wires lay on the ground, neatly shoved against the wall so as not to cause accidents.

"Shuuichi…"

"We're in my private studio," he replied, already knowing what she was going to ask. "I thought it was sensible to have this place built so that I wouldn't have to go home when I ended up, uhh, shall we say working overtime. Too lazy to drive home sometimes."

After breakfast, Shuuichi immediately got straight to the point and asked Botan where she was going to take him for their _date_. It had caught her completely off guard, and she could not think of a decent answer. Shuuichi only smiled reassuringly at her and offered to take her somewhere first, and then maybe that would help her sort things out, but he still _wanted to be taken on a date, a place of __her choice. _

"Why didn't you just have a studio built at your house then?"

"And have my managers come harass me at the one place where I _believe _I have some sort of privacy?" He made a face.

"Oh…" An understanding expression crossed Botan's features as she looked over her shoulder at Shuuichi. "So why are we here?"

Shuuichi shrugged. "No special reason really. I didn't know exactly where to go. I guess habit brought me here." 

"I guess." She grinned. "You sure you don't have any tricks up your sleeve? Not planning to serenade me to death?"

"Why?" Shuuichi equally matched her grin, maybe even surpassed the impish side of it. "Do you _want me to?"_

Botan flushed. "N…no."

"You sure? You sounded kind of nervous there." He purposely leaned in close to her so that the tips of their noses brushed against each other, and this intimacy between them was beginning to make Botan feel uncomfortable. 

"I'm sure!" Botan shrieked trying to push him away.

Shuuichi tried to suppress his laughter, failing when a small chuckle escaped his throat. "I don't about that, B. You sounded kind of excited to me." 

"Jerk," Botan reached over to pinch him.

"Now you can't keep your hands off of me," Shuuichi burst out laughing. "Am I really that irresistible to you, babe?"

"You are absolutely difficult, Shuuichi," came her exasperated sigh. "I feel like I'm having a conversation with a _child_."

"Mm, is that so? Then would you be willing to baby-sit me?"

But his words fell on deaf ears as his companion walked to the giant glass window and took in the scenery.

"You know, for all of the fame that you have, you sure do like seclusion. It surprises me that you don't like the suburbs and the city much." Her hand brushed lightly against the windowpane before her gaze found his eyes.

"Huh?" He raised a hand to cradle his neck and rubbed it gingerly. 

He was at a loss for words.

She didn't answer.

_Has it really been that long since I've had a real relationship with anyone?_

_Yeah…_

_I completely forgot what it felt like to have someone read into me like that._

_Yeah…_

_I couldn't even tell._

_Yeah…_

_I really need to take a break from this…_

_Yeah…_

_Stop agreeing with me._

_I'm your conscience. What the hell do you expect from me?_

_Tell me to shut up, and then give me your input._

_I would, but you already know them._

_Mm… it must be because you're me._

_Scary, isn't it?_

"It's funny. You've only known me for about a day, and you already know more about me than what you see on commercials and ads and other propaganda that the markets use to try and…_sell me."_

"Uhh…" Now it was Botan's turn to look deadpanned.

Saving her from doing any reflecting, he grabbed her cuffed wrist with his and dragged her to the other side of the room where there was a wide glass partition that overlooked another room. It was slightly smaller and dimmer in lighting compared to the one that they were presently occupying, and it contained a single stool, a few booths, more wires, a microphone, and a headset. 

"Can you sing?"

Botan looked up at him. The question posed was serious. She fidgeted and then nodded.

"Mm-hm…well, a little. I'm not great though." Her brows creased. "_Why_?"

"Not great, huh?" He wasn't paying attention to her question. "But good _enough, right?"_

What was this sneaky fox up to? Botan scrunched up her face.

"You wanna try?"

Botan blinked. It was innocent enough, she decided.

**

"You lied to me," Shuuichi said absently as they walked into the mall.

"Excuse me?"

"You said you weren't that great. I would have begged to differ had I known you had a voice."

Finding herself in an awkward situation, Botan immediately diverted the direction of the conversation, asking Shuuichi if he were afraid that someone would recognize and mob him. It was the mall after all. 

"Worried?" Shuuichi asked, his mind elsewhere.

"It's not polite to answer a question with a question you know."

He stopped in mid-stride and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Don't worry so much, Botan. What's the worst that could happen?"

The look on her face suggested that she was not entertained. "Oh, I don't know, Shuuichi. Maybe the paparazzi'll mob us and I'll find myself looking like a deer caught in headlights on the front of _Japan Entertainment_ and _Arena 37c with Japan's biggest teen heart-throb and, undeniably, also Japan's biggest idiot."_

Botan pursed her lips and pressed on. "You know, I don't really wanna end up on the wrong end of your fans' pitchforks once they see me like this with you." She took her cuffed wrist and jangled it in front of his face.

He opened his mouth to speak, but she invited herself to interrupt him.

"And I was making a generalization about the whole _heart-throb_ thing. So don't even comment on it."

He nodded goofily.

"Well, I don't know about the _biggest idiot thing, but overall, that doesn't sound too bad. If I were in your shoes, I'd love the attention." He paused to think. "Mm, maybe with the exception of the most recent part of your statement, but you leave those fan-girls to me, babe. I'll make sure…"_

"Shuuichi!" she screeched. "Be realistic."

He chortled at her defensiveness. Tapping her nose playfully and raising his head in an angle so that she was able to see his eyes sparkle under the visor of his cap, he ventured to argue, "I think you're underestimating the genius of Shuuichi Minamino, Botan." He winked at her and continued walking. "No one's gonna recognize me."

The expression that the girl conveyed a few minutes later told him that she was not impressed. 

They had passed by a small independent booth, and the two young females buying from it whispered between themselves how much the young man looked so much like _Kurama. Then they began giggling madly, trying to catch glimpses of him, and then turning away shyly after he had caught their gazes._

Shuuichi laughed nervously.

"Okay, so maybe my plan _isn't completely fool-proof, but they only __thought I looked like Kurama." He shrugged. "We're still playing on safe grounds, B-chan."_

She was about to give him another disapproving glance and retaliate with Murphy's Law stating that if the possibility that everything can go wrong, it will, but a different booth in the middle of the mall suddenly caught her interest. 

"Hey, look!" Her free arm stretched out and her index finger extended, she pointed to a booth in the middle of the mall.

Shuuichi followed her hand and looked at the girl oddly. "So?"

She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I'm supposed to take you to any place of my choice, right?"

"You _cannot be serious."_

She continued to smile.

"But Botan," he whined, "they're not even _real_. What's the use of getting one?"

"Well, we're getting one anyway. Besides, it stays on for a few weeks. You can give your mom a good scare." 

"We? I thought you were just talking about yourself."

She giggled and grabbed onto his wrist dragging him to the booth.

"Excuse me." Botan smiled and greeted the middle-aged woman hosting the temporary shop, "We'd like to get one please."

"Of course, dear. Please wait a moment." Turning her head over her shoulder, she called to her husband who was busy taking care of a payment. "Honey, when you're done, could you please bring the album with the samples over here for this couple?"

"C…couple?" Botan croaked, trying to hide her surprise with laughter. "I'm sorry, miss, but we're not…"

"Oh, don't be embarrassed dear. When you work in a place that most teenagers call their haven, you get used to these things." She winked.

"No, but you don't…" the words died when she felt Shuuichi's hand clasp hers. Her head flipped towards him, her eyes narrow, and her lips full as she pouted. He didn't look at her. Instead, he had his gaze on the woman with a silly expression playing on his features.

"My girlfriend's very shy around people that she just meets, ma'am. She's rarely like this though."

The woman laughed as her husband came around to the front of the booth. "That must explain the cuffs. Supervision, I presume?" She laughed even more.

Botan was red to the core, and if plotting murder really were a sin, she'd surely be a candidate for Hell. 

The woman looked at the tense girl, her eyes glued to her shoes as if they were the most fascinating things in the whole world. "Oh, come off it, young one. My husband and I were once young too." She pushed the album towards them. "Here you are, dears. Just pick out a design, and tell us where you want them."

Botan shook her hand free from Shuuichi's grip and opened the album. Not finding anything particularly interesting in the first few pages, she flipped to the back where something finally appealed to her eye.

"This one," she tapped at the picture and looked expectantly at the woman.

"Nice choice. That one's usually overlooked by the other kids, but I think it's very pretty." She looked at Shuuichi, who was staring at a completely unaware Botan with a fond smile. The woman was touched but kept her comment to herself and lightly touched his shoulder. "How about you, young man? Find anything particularly interesting?"

"Uhh…" Shuuichi shook his head and flipped the album back to the front and indicated at a large dragon with his index finger. "That."

The woman's husband nodded and motioned with his head to come around to the other side of the booth.

"Okay, who wants to go first?"

"Me!" Botan cried and hopped into the chair. "I want it right here." She pulled her shirt up a little and pointed to the lower corner of her back. 

"Do you want this in color, miss?"

Botan nodded and the man immediately set to work with the stencil and the Henna paint.

"I can't believe you were actually serious," Shuuichi commented, looking around the mall.

Botan didn't answer, and he noticed right away.

"Don't tell me that you're irritated at me again."  
  
She still didn't answer.

"Okay, all finished," said the man. "You make sure to let that dry so you might wanna tie your shirt in a knot just above that design."

Botan hopped off and tied her shirt into a knot as she was suggested to do exposing a bit of her stomach and waist. Shuuichi involuntarily frowned as he slid his jacket off and sat on the seat, but was halted from making any remarks when the man suddenly spoke.

"Any preferences, young man?"

"Uhh…" he tore his eyes away from Botan to show him where he wanted his tattoo. "I want it on my right arm, and do you think you can make it a dark red tint instead of the traditional black?"

"Will do."

**

"You didn't have to pay for me, you know."

"Yeah, well." He walked a few steps quicker so that he would be walking beside her. "I felt guilty for what I did earlier."

"I'm the one taking you out on the _date_, Shuuichi. Not the other way around." She blatantly ignored the last part of his comment.

"So does this mean that you're not mad at me anymore?" he asked hopefully.

"Nope." She stopped long enough to look him in the eye. "I'm still quite irritated."

Shuuichi pouted and decided to switch tactics. "But you're my girlfriend."

Botan was more than prepared for a statement like that. "If that's so, then we're having one of our moments."

"Moments?" 

"Yes. Moments. Y'know, those rare but significant times in a relationship when a couple completely and utterly misunderstand each other and therefore can't stand to be within a 1 inch radius."

Shuuichi gaped. Either she had played him for a fool from the moment they first met, or he really did rub off on her. She was getting mighty sharp; he beamed at the thought.

"Aww, babe. I know you wanted me to get a tattoo that said _I love Botan_, but the dragon was cooler. Besides, I already love you."

The other teenager couldn't believe her ears. It was now her turn to do the gaping at her companion, who was wearing an impish grin and acting as if what he said had no impact on her whatsoever. 

She wanted to strangle him so bad, but another part of her, try as she might to deny it, became too fond of him during the short course of their escapade to do such a thing, and as it turned out, the latter part of her was dominant over the other.

"You are unbelievable, Shuuichi."

"Does that mean you forgive me?"

"No. The fact that you chose a dragon over your girlfriend still stands," she reiterated for him and began walking again, completely aware of the girls looking in their direction, and more specifically, at Shuuichi who was only sporting his sleeveless white undershirt. She immediately chastised herself after discovering that she, herself, was irritated that the girls were casting such glances.

_Admit it_

_Admit what?_

_You're jealous._

_Jealous? They can devour him for lunch for all I care._

_Liar…_

_…_

_I'm right._

_Shut up._

"Well, tell me then, just _how do I get my girlfriend to like me again?"_

"Huh?" Botan's thoughts were cut short, much to her relief.

"What should I do to get my girlfriend back?"

"Mm, you could definitely start by…"  once again, she was cut short by her own thoughts when at that moment, something, or rather _someone, caught her attention. _

Choppy, chestnut-colored tresses and hazel eyes tinted with specs of gold – they belonged to only one person. 

He laughed. 

Her heart skipped a beat and she could feel her lips mouthing his name; breathing it…

"Koenma…"

His head suddenly whipped in her direction. 

To say that Shuuichi was surprised to have Botan push him roughly into a photo booth would have been quite the understatement. 

In her rush, she clumsily tripped over the single platform that led into the booth. And with the grace that only Botan could possibly pull off, she managed to topple over him.

"Gee, Botan. If you wanted to make out that _bad_, you could have just told me. I would have said yes." He rubbed the back of his slightly throbbing head and chuckled, but when he saw that by this time, he was only talking to Botan's rear end, he became curious and poked his head out of the curtain as well.

"So, tell me, what creature is so much more interesting than me to have sidetracked your attention?"

Caught off guard, Botan nearly fell out. Catching herself, she let her eyes roam towards the spot where Koenma had stood and finding him to be walking in the other direction, drew back into the booth and sat on the little bench with an exasperated sigh. 

_Koenma…_

_What was he doing here?_

Finally realizing where they were, she dug into her mini backpack for some coins and then carelessly slid them into the slot in front of her. Seizing Shuuichi's arm, she pulled his head back inside.

"Botan?"

"Shuuichi, let's take pictures. It'll be cute."

Managing to have said that with so little enthusiasm, Shuuichi looked only half convinced, if he were convinced at all, but she didn't really give him much time to ponder upon that thought for she invited herself to bring her hands upon his face. Shuuichi stared, too surprised and confused to speak.

"Wow," he finally managed to whisper. "You really do want me, don't you?"

Instead of a reply, he felt an odd, stinging sensation upon his cheek before a flash nearly blinded him. After the spots before his eyes subsided, he averted his attention to Botan who had her back to him, mumbling curses.

"Botan?"

"Jerk-face. Is there ever a time when your mouth is actually connected to your brain and not your hormones?"

"I guess I deserved that." The words came tumbling out of his lips while he cradled his reddened cheek.

Botan suspiciously glanced over her shoulder. "You're actually admitting that?"

"Why not? I did deserve it, didn't I?"

By now, she had turned around fully so that she was facing him again.

"Well, it's hard to believe that you, being as overconfident as you are, could ever admit to deserving a cold…"

The camera flashed again, and this time both teenagers mumbled curses as they spots before their eyes. They paused long enough to look at each other and then burst out laughing. 

Botan pointed to the little monitor indicating how many more poses they were allowed.

"Three."

When her eyes met his, she could sense a smile in them.

"That was your money's worth, so shall we?"

Botan blinked and then nodded as a small giggle barely escaped.

She put a finger to her cheek, looked up with a smile, and Shuuichi leaned in to kiss her cheek.

The camera flashed again, and before Shuuichi even had time to think, he felt her hands fly once more to his face, this time pinching his cheeks and pulled them into a smile. She laughed as the camera took a picture of them, Shuuichi with his wide smile but very startled eyes.

"First the slap and now you pinch. You girls really are cruel." He pouted, his lower lip jutting out slightly more than his upper lip for emphasis.

She found herself laughing even more.

"Only to boys."

"I know," he commented dryly, more to himself than to her.

"Hey, we only have one pose left."

"Yeah."

"Let's make this a nice one."

He shrugged.

"How about…" The rest of her suggestion never left her lips as she felt Shuuichi's arms grab her. "Shuuichi…?"

"You said you wanted a nice picture." 

He pressed her body to his and lifted the back of her shirt a little more to give a better view of her tattoo. She gasped.

"I'm not stripping you, Botan," he snickered. "Chill out." 

Linking his cuffed hand with hers, he used his free and tattooed arm to wrap around Botan's waist.

"How's this for memories? Now you won't forget the day you got your first generic tattoo."

"The camera can't see me," she said trying to hide her blush by looking down.

"Just turn your head over your shoulder."

The camera flashed, and just a second too soon for Botan. She didn't move from her position for a while, and it was only when Shuuichi cleared his throat deliberately did she notice. She could feel her cheeks getting hot as she lightly pushed herself from her embrace.

His eyes wandered over her, trying to catch her eyes, but she kept her line of vision towards the ground.

"Aww, and I really liked holding you too."

"I… uhh… well, I wanna see how the pictures came out." She exited the curtained booth and then moved to the side where the pictures came out.

The duo studied all of them and laughed. When Botan reached the final picture, she stopped, and she could feel her heart beat wildly again. Her expressionless, barely melancholy expression, actually looked decent in contrast to his arrogant grin. She was simultaneously perplexed and thrilled at that concept, though she would never admit to the latter. 

She immediately stuffed them into the mini-backpack that she was carrying around.

"So why the sudden urge to take pictures? Before the slap, I mean."

"Well," Botan fumbled for the right words, simultaneously looking down one side of the mall and then the other, anticipating someone she knew, or worse yet, someone she was avoiding, to pop up behind her.

"Yes?" he urged.

"Well, it's not really everyday that I can tell my friends that _Kurama_ was my boyfriend for a whole day." She was afraid to look at him, afraid that he'd see through her little lie because if he did, she might have to bring _him up. She had never been to keen at lying._

But to her surprise, he had a smirk on his face.

"I'll buy that, B." He put his arm around her shoulder. "So I take it you're not mad at me anymore? We've finally resolved our _misunderstandings_?"

Botan blushed and nodded; a deep chortle escaped his throat at that.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starved! European dish slash dessert sound good to you, lovely?"

"I…" She looked over her shoulder at where _he_ had been standing. Again no longer finding him there replied simply, "Sure."

**

Botan poked at her so-called dessert with a fork. "Is this… err… _thing_… you know, _edible_?"

"Take the edge off and just try it, Botan." When she didn't make a move for the square piece of pancake with the brown goop and white fluff topped with ice cream, Shuuichi made a move with his fork for it. 

"Well, if you're not gonna eat it…" His fork hit the table. 

Botan snatched the plate as soon as she saw that arm dart from his end of the table. 

"I thought you weren't planning on digesting that."

"I'm still thinking about it."

"Well, think faster. I can't eat that if it's too cold, you know."

"Who said I wouldn't like it after I try it?"

"Did I every say I was going to wait until after you tried it?"

Botan snorted and dug her fork past the brown syrup and cut through the pancake. Bringing it close to her face for inspection, she reluctantly placed it in her mouth. 

Shuuichi eyed her secretly from behind the visor of his cap and smiled when he saw her fork go back to the plate to cut another piece of the dessert crepe.

"What kind of a flower is it? It's nice. I don't really think I've seen that kind before."

"Mm?"

"Your tattoo."

"Oh," she gulped down the remnants of her crepe and paused to think about her answer. "Botan."

Confusion written all over his face, he looked at Botan to confirm what he had heard. "Botan?"

"Yup."

"But that isn't…" he stopped, recalling what she had told him earlier. "Peony?"

Botan's face lit up. He tilted his head at the girl, trying, in his mind, to figure her out before the words, barely above a whisper, left his mouth, "Peony… Botan… clever way of putting it." A thoughtful pause followed.

"By the way…" he stopped short, his eyes wandering around the restaurant for nothing in particular.

"By the way what?" She was paying more attention to her food than at him and placed another piece of the tooth-achingly sweet piece of pastry in her mouth.

"Who's Koenma?" He wasn't looking at her either. Instead he was looking at one of the waitresses with the skimpy skirts with his chin resting on the palm of his free hand.

Botan's gaze went right through him, and she didn't answer for a long time. By the time Shuuichi's eyes stopped roaming on the long legs of the woman, Botan had gone back to nibbling on her crepe.

"The ice cream was the best part. Too bad there was so little of it."

**

**Final Notes**: Okay, that part where Shuuichi remembers Botan telling him something about a _peony is nowhere in this chapter. It's in chapter 3 just before Shuuichi and Botan's shower antics. It wasn't there before, so that's really the only plot revision done in the entire four chapters. Everything else that was revised all had to do with language, so that doesn't really matter much, unless you didn't understand the phrases before. ^^;;_

And I just had to bring Koenma into this, didn't I? ^^ He plays a really small and innocent role though, so put down those burning torches down, you avid Kurama/Botan fans. Koenma will not whisk Botan away, not in my fic anyway. x) 

Uhh, what else? Oh yeah, the scene in Shuuichi's studio that ended too abruptly with no explanation, therefore seeming particularly pointless, actually does have a point, but you'll have to wait until the end of the fic to find out its purpose. =] At least you know for sure that this fic _will _end. :D 

Hmm, sorry that this chapter is kind of retarded in comparison to the other four. :P This was kind of rushed, not to mention long, and when it gets long, my brain has a tendency to stop functioning therefore you have a weird flow of things. ^^;;

But anyhoo, if you support the Kurama/Botan pairing, feel free to join the clique. We take in submissions for fanart and fanfics too. Hint-hint. ^^ Just un-space the URL below. For some reason, when it's an actual link, it doesn't show up. =\

www . geocities . com / kb _ reflections

And last, standard disclaimers apply here. Me no own, you no sue.


	6. Nostalgia's Other Face

Dulce 

**[Chapter 6 – Nostalgia's Other Face: What Color Are My Eyes?]**

**By: Diana-Jae**

_I like you… _

_What a coincidence! I like you too…_

_You have personality and you're cute... Feel like a movie tonight? …_

_Well, I, uhh… you're cute too. I mean… you have personality too. I mean… yes. I'd love to._

_But…_

_And then there's that but word…_

_I'm too old for you…_

_…_

**

Botan sighed and slid another quarter into the slot machine, trying to get the flow of her thoughts to digress from their tormenting course down memory lane. Deep down, she knew that her relationship with the young man had only been a summer fling, but she had grown so attached to the familiarity of such intimateness that she had believed the situation to have been real.

The silver, metal claw suddenly went down for the nth time, trying to grasp the exaggerated head of a silver fox plushy. 

It missed…

Again…

A low growl escaped her throat and her hand reached into her pocket once more for another quarter. Her fumbling fingers had barely brushed against the slot when her partner, who she had unconsciously neglected since dessert, lightly pushed her aside and inserted his own round, shiny token.

Barely able to comprehend the second-long event because the machinery in her mind had come to a crawl, it added an even bigger strain when she found the toy she had been trying to retrieve for the last ten or so tries suddenly dropped into her arms.

She looked at her companion with large, befuddled lavender eyes as if to ask why he had done it or how he had gotten there. As if he were able to hear those unvoiced questions, he shrugged and both of them walked in silence side by side towards the entrance.

It was a light brush against the tight entrance.

Very light…

But she knew…

And he knew…

Both heads simultaneously turned to face each other. From afar, someone would think the young man and girl were sizing each other up, but from a closer perspective, they would have seen that the young man's lips twitched upward as the image of the girl clutching the fuzzy toy registered.

"Botan."

"…"

"You don't remember me?"

"I… uhh, no. I mean, it's just weird running into you again, _Koenma."_

"Yeah, I'm here visiting my family. College is…" he smiled ruefully, trying to think of the perfect word to describe his experiences, "painful." When she only managed to draw in her breath, his eyes slid sideways to get a glimpse of the green-eyed youth. "And you're the boyfriend, I presume?"

Shuuichi reluctantly shook his head, oddly feeling Botan's anxiety emanating in various and reckless directions.

"No, he isn't my boyfriend. He's just a friend."

"Oh, well, why don't I buy you guys lunch? Maybe… we can catch up on things."

"No… thanks. We just ate and we were just leaving anyway. I have homework to finish."

"Over the summer?" He raised an eyebrow in surprised question.

"Mm… summer school, Koenma. Some people aren't blessed with the brains that others have, right?"

A sound resembling a cross between a soft chuckle and wild laughter escaped his lips. "Only friends?" he suddenly asked after a pause, catching a glimpse of the handcuffs. Botan blushed while trying to nod her head, involuntarily edging closer to Shuuichi. 

Instinctively, Shuuichi had wrapped his arm around Botan's waist, and her initial reaction was a jump. Koenma did not fail to notice this, and he laughed. 

"Well, you two take care. It was nice meeting you, Shuuichi."

"Likewise."

"N… no. Koenma, this isn't what you think. Shuuichi and I – this was totally not supposed to happen. I mean…"

To Botan, he was getting the wrong impression, and she wanted to explain, but the right words failed to spill from her lips. And her frustration only escalated when Koenma laughed at her and shrugged. "You don't need to be so embarrassed about it," he called over his shoulder in a tone that indicated an underlying meaning in his words. "But I'll catch up with you another time, Botan." Then he began to walk in the opposite direction.

She nodded. "Y…yes. Definitely we will. I mean, that sounds like a time. Plan, I mean." She was wishing so bad to just bury her face in the more inviting fur of her toy at that moment.

_Why do I still get so jittery around him?_

When Koenma was out of sight, Botan turned and poked an accusing finger deep and hard into Shuuichi's chest, her mouth getting ready to verbally slap him but her attempt to do so faltered and only a sigh managed to draw out.

"Ow." The timbre of his voice was soft and monotone. It wasn't a wail; it wasn't a complaint; it wasn't a reaction to pain. The assault by her dainty finger on his chest didn't even hurt. He said it more to satisfy the young woman, though she did not tell him outright to say it. He just knew… though she did not.

Her head had come to a bow, and without warning, she took one step closer to his unprepared but inviting figure and buried her face in his chest, muttering incoherent phrases. Shuuichi could not decipher whether they were curses or if they were explanations… explanations she wished to convey more to herself than to him… but he allowed her his body to use as a means of comfort. When her slender arms brought themselves to wrap around him, the toy forgotten as it fell on the floor, instinct took hold of his muscles and his hand began to stroke her hair and his lips moved to form the words "It's okay".

**

_"Summer's a beautiful season, don't you think?"_

_"It's alright."_

_Botan lifted her head from her boyfriend's shoulder and moved her gaze from the sparkling waters to meet a pair of hazel eyes. "Only alright?"_

_"Yeah," he shrugged._

_"Why?"_

_"It gets too hot and complicated," he stated simply and confidently making it seem almost as if it were a fact and not his opinion._

_"So what season do you like best then?"_

_"Winter probably."_

_"But it's so cold," she reasoned._

_"Maybe, but I can always put on more layers of clothing whereas in summer, you can't strip down past your skin."_

_"…I guess that's logical."_

_A subtle tension took hold of the relaxing atmosphere just then. It was not a tension that held any form of danger. The young lady's demeanor just became less composed now that she wanted to press her partner on the matter as childish and irrelevant the topic may be. He felt it too for they sat another few minutes and still he couldn't shake that feeling that she was perturbed and so decided to approach it another way._

_"Why do **you** find summer so… intriguing, if you don't mind my asking?"_

_He felt her tense against him for a moment, slightly taken aback at the way the tables were turned and then shrugged. "I don't know. It's just, well, I suppose very exotic, very relaxing. The season's aestheticism appeals more to me than it does to others, I guess. I mean… look at the sunset."_

_"You get equally beautiful sunsets in the winter," he argued._

_"Maybe, but not as often and not with the same ambiance that accompanies summer."_

_"Hmm… to each his own, as they say."_

_He didn't know whether they had come to an unsaid compromise, but the tension did leave. Anything they disagreed upon never did get beyond "disagreement" anyway. It would come to a minute-debate before the girl would get tired and just stop. Perhaps she preferred silence and understanding rather than intelligent conversation – which is what might happen had they continued their little talk; he had always been gifted at that. But he had to take into consideration, which came to plague him quite often, that she was still a child by his standards._

_"Koenma?"_

_"Hmm?"_

_"What color are my eyes?"_

_"What kind of a question is that?_

_"Just give me an answer," she pleaded, jutting her lower lip for emphasis._

_He rolled his eyes and smiled. "They're a unique lavender. Suits your complexion, lovely."_

_"Love you," she whispered tiredly, only a little less than completely content with his answer, but that's how it always was or so it seemed._

_"Ditto."_

_Botan snuggled closer to him, greedily embracing the warmth he willingly gave to her – the only form of acceptance she had that was not in the form of friendship ever since her parents left her. Yes, a child indeed._

**

_"I've been thinking."_

_"What about?"_

_He fidgeted, carefully debating the words he would use and then hesitating the moment his voice was ready to speak. "…Botan."_

_"Mm-hm?"_

_She looked so happy that he didn't know whether what he was going to do would hurt him more than it would hurt her, but he took a deep breath and placed strong hands upon her delicate shoulders and nearly croaked an "us"._

_Hearing this word, she cringed and an undisguised fear now contorted onto her previous cheery countenance. Had his tone not been so serious **and **apologetic, perhaps she would have had nothing to fear.  "Us?" she repeated._

_"Understand that I like you. I like you a lot, and you… you're pretty, smart, fun to be with, and well…young…"_

_"Young?" she stuttered. "Why are you talking to me like I'm a child?"_

_"Botan, all I'm trying to say is that… you and I. We'd never work out."_

_"What are you… trying to say?"_

_"Things are just really **complicated** right now, Botan. And maybe we need some time away from each other."_

_"Are you breaking up with me, Koenma?" She wriggled out of his grasp and intense gaze by fixing her eyes on the small pebbles that littered the street._

_"Botan…"_

_"If that's your intention, then…" she looked up and smiled at him, "…you can save yourself the trouble of explaining. I'm a big girl. I can take it, and I've had enough explanations from my parents to last me another lifetime. So maybe… you could be abrupt, please?"_

_He was taken aback. When he didn't expect her to be mature about the situation, she was, but when he did want her to be, she was just so… goofy. It almost didn't make sense, but then again, he never was able to follow Botan's logic, so all he did was nod in response to her earlier question._

_"But don't think that I didn't think you were someone special to me. You were."_

_She laughed. "Didn't I just tell you to save the explanations?"_

_He grinned sheepishly. "Yeah. You did. I'm sorry."_

_"Well… I'll just be seeing you around then, Koenma." She turned to walk down the street and maybe indulge in some pastry and noodles until she no forgot about her current situation._

_"Botan!" He called, obviously forgetting to have said something that he had wanted to. He ran up to her._

_"Koenma?"_

_"Know that I'll always be here for you. As a friend, I mean."_

_She smiled wistfully. "I'm sure you will."_

_Time stood still the moment he had stepped closer to shroud her arms around her small frame in an embrace, and the moment seemed to linger everywhere around her even after he had casually walked away and disappeared around the corner. _

_And then she began to wonder if it were her curse to be truly alone always._

**

Shuuichi decided not to make any sudden conversations because, after much contemplation, he had guessed that she looked rather content to be walking in silence after just having spilled her past relationship with her first boyfriend to him. He didn't know quite how to react or what to say to her because he had never in the position where he would listen to a girl's problems. Though he had been in many relationships, he could not quite relate and offer her some kind of advice or words of sympathy because he had never been in the shoes of the one whose heart became broken – he had always been the one to break the hearts.

But it did make sense to him how she had been in the right to feel loneliness and betrayed for having been left by someone she thought understood her complex and rather poignant situation and therefore would stick by her. This was not the case; Shuuichi came to the conclusion that Koenma was just not in that position to be able to fully understand the loneliness of not having a parent, but he couldn't blame him. You would have to be in that situation to feel it and fully understand it.

_He did._

And maybe that was why he had not wanted to let her go so quickly that night at his studio. 

That was probably why he had stupidly cuffed them together.

Maybe…

But he did not regret having done it, and given the chance to do it again, he would not hesitate to do so – even if it were only to irritate the young woman all over again.

He watched her calm figure from the corner of his eye as they were about to make their way outside of the shopping center, but once they had gotten to a particular end of the mall, she had abruptly stopped and began to fidget nervously, keeping her gaze away from him.

"Shuuichi?" she asked rather awkwardly.

"Yeah?"

"I…"

"What's wrong?"

"I," she blushed and looked at the ground.

"What is it?" He was determined not to make her day a bad one – at least, not when they were linked together anyway. "If it's about…"

A minimum amount of liquid began to materialize at the bottom of her eyes. "No, no. It isn't that," she whined.

"What then?"

"I…" she bit her lip and then turned away from him, whispering harshly, "Shuuichi, I really need to use the bathroom!"

He nearly fell over. He had thought it was something more serious… but upon looking at their cuffed wrists, he blanched. This _was something serious._

**

Shuuichi and Botan peeked into the women's bathroom, and seeing it empty, they quickly ducked into it. The former was relieved that they had gotten this far without so much as a cry from another woman that there was a pervert in the bathroom. No, that would definitely not handle well with his reputation, and more so with his ego.

They cautiously walked down the bathroom aisle, Shuuichi hiding behind Botan as she tried to pick out a decent stall.

"I still say you should go in a bush or something," he commented dryly.

"Get real."

The sound of the door slamming made him jump and cling to Botan for dear life. She just laughed and brushed him off.

"Oh God," he cried, "I nearly shit my pants."

"Then you'd be in trouble, wouldn't you?" She stopped in front of wooden swinging door and directed him to stand outside it while she went ahead inside.

Shuuichi gaped and then shook his head childishly. "No way!"

"What?" she nearly yelled. "Why not?"

"Because we're going to get caught."

Botan growled in irritation. "Shuuichi, I really have to relieve my bladder before it bursts. And no, _we_ will not get caught. _You will because you'll be the one standing out there on fair ground." She ignored him and closed the swinging door in his face before she realized that the door wouldn't close all the way. "Shuuichi?"_

"Hurry up."

"I haven't even gone yet," she cried. "The door won't close with the link caught in between. I need you to hold the door for me." 

As soon as he did, Botan walked in but had not gotten more than two steps before she got pulled back. "Hey! What gives? I really have to go, Shuuichi! You really won't want to walk with me if I don't get to."

They could both feel the atmosphere of a bicker coming on. 

"I know you do, but it's not my fault that whoever made these cuffs made them too small."

"Oh this is just great. My bladder's about to explode, and because the cuff links are too short, I can't go. This is your fault."

The door to the bathroom slowly creaked open, and Shuuichi's eyes dilated in fear. Without thinking, he pushed his way into the bathroom startling Botan and causing her to bring her hand against his face.

"Shuuichi!" she shrieked. "Get out!"

"That slap was not necessary," he whispered to her as he cradled his reddened cheek, hoping that she'd get the hint to lower her voice, but she did not.

"Yes, it was! Get out!"

"Botan, shh," he whispered anxiously as he cupped his hand over her mouth. "Some little old lady just walked in here."

Lavender oculars began to move from side to side at first in confusion and then when reason met reality, she jumped towards the stall door and tried to peek through the small slanted gaps and catch a glimpse of the newcomer. Dressed rather conservatively, the elderly woman wore a look of confusion and disapproving curiosity on her aging face. The heels of her shoes made loud, clicking noises against the cold marble tiles of the bathroom floor as she indiscreetly moved towards their stall almost telling them that they were guilty. Botan turned on her heel and tried to hide behind Shuuichi.

"Oh my god. That woman's coming down here. This is all _your fault," she accused in a whisper._

"So everything's my fault now?"

"It was always your fault, remember?"

"I demand that you two stop this foul play right now." The woman was right outside of their stall and was spitting her heated surprise like fire at the barrier that separated her from the teenagers behind it. "You come out or I'll have security come in here and escort you out."

And even before Shuuichi knew what he was doing, he had already turned his head over his shoulder and muttered loud enough for the woman outside the stall to hear, "Get lost, lady."

"Why you horrible young man!" she burst out in insult. "I'm calling security."

Shuuichi nearly yelped when the woman, now wearing an appalled countenance, began banging on the door with a petite but very powerful fist. And so in his surprise and anxious fear, his first instinct was to run, but upon realizing that there really was no place to go, and realizing this too late, he nearly stumbled upon Botan.

Then as if timing could not have possibly been worse, the stall door swung open, and to the woman's shocked and disgusted eyes, revealed a red-haired boy hovering above a young woman, his palms pressed firmly against the wall to keep from falling atop her. And the young woman's hands clung tightly to the thin material of this boy's undershirt while she was awkwardly situated between his legs. She shook her head in a mixture of revulsion and hatred.

"You teenagers today! No sense of decency at all. What is this world coming to?" She quickly turned and headed out the door mumbling other things to herself and then yelling back at them. "I'm calling security to report you two troublemakers. Don't you dare think for one second that you'll get away with this!"

**

"I told you that you should have gone in a bush instead," Shuuichi pouted and immediately earned a light punch on the shoulder causing him to laugh.

"Shuuichi! Have a little more sense of tact," she paused, "and to think that your ego's so inflated." She snorted and he just laughed some more.

After running out of the mall in a panic, hearts racing with the rush of adrenaline, they walked into another store where there was a co-ed restroom. Botan, after having relieved herself, looked up at her companion and smiled. Though this was certainly not the way she had imagined any part of her life to go, she was grateful that she had met him and for the excitement that he brought along. She couldn't really remember the last time when she felt so much thrill and the fun that accompanied it.

"Shuuichi?"

"That would be me, sweetheart," he grinned arrogantly.

"What color are my eyes?"

She had not expected him to answer so when he took her by the shoulders, and had it not been for the fact that it was only a second, it would have seemed that, leaning in, he was looking to study the lavender shade of her irises and perhaps even the texture of her glossy lips before dipping in for a swift contact of lip upon lip. But then he shrugged. 

"Summer."

**

**Author Notes:** Yippee! I finally finished Chapter 6! And now, I must find some way to express my apologies that are like yay-long for making you guys wait forever and a day to read this installment. ^^' But believe me, even though I've got the basic skeleton down pat, I still find it difficult to find the right words to incorporate into my writing. It's frustrating for me. . But heh… I'm super proud of myself that I finished even the words and the plot line for this chapter didn't come out exactly the way I was hoping it would! I'm just happy I got to the end. *evil laugh*

And did I leave you hanging? Did I? Did I? Ooh, I hope I did. ^______^ This fic is almost done. I've got about another four chapters to go before this whole thing is completed and your soul (my soul) can finally rest in peace. x) I can't wait… I'm giddy already. When did I start this? Like a million years ago?

Well, as you probably notice, your authoress is on a sugar high. ^^' And heh… what do ya know? This is my first fic to reach 100 reviews. =*) Should I pop open some champagne? Mm… I'm underage. How bout some soda? ^____^

But to "Dark chobit", my 100'th reviewer, if you, by any chance, happen upon this little piece of note, please do e-mail me and request a fic or art of your choice as a gift to you. My treat cuz you're my 100th reviewer. =) You made my day. I'd like to warn you that I'm no pro though so please don't expect anything top of the line. ^^'

And to all my reviewers, thank you, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! I heart you all! *huggles* You guys are the best, and if it was humanly possible, I'd allow a request of a fic or art for all you guys too, but I think I'd keel over and die from overload or something. ^^'

Oh, and a couple other things. This first one I wanna clear up because I've been meaning to for a long time now. About their being handcuffed and it being impossible for them to change… uhh, I was aware of that. I just chose to ignore it for all intents and purposes of this fic. T_T Either that or you can believe that I'm stupid, which I will not dispute. ^_____^ Or you can believe they cut their shirts open to get it off and then cut it and sewed it together when they had to change, but that's really unrealistic. Find me people two people of the opposite sex who actually have the patience to do what I just described and not rip each other to pieces sexually, and that's when I shall take back my previous comment. :P

Second, about the dog and how to get that key spit out. Hmm… ^____^ …I'm glad you're guessing, but really, it's a secret. I know how that key's gonna come out, but I don't wanna spoil anything.

Well, please read and review. Comments, suggestions, flames, etc – they're all very welcome.

Any Kurama (Shuuichi) x Botan fans reading? Please visit and support this clique:

www . geocities . com / kb _ reflections

**Disclaimers:** Yuu Yuu Hakusho and its characters belong to Yoshihiro Togashi, Shueisha, Fuji TV, Shounen Jump, etc. Don't sue, You are cool. =]


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